TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Local Government Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to relieve people of paying council tax when in hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: A person is required to pay council tax on their sole or main residence. When a person enters hospital for treatment on a short term basis, their sole or main residence remains the property where they resided prior to entering hospital. Where a person enters hospital on a long-term basis and there is no intention of their returning to their original residence, the hospital becomes in effect their main residence and their home is exempt from the council tax. We have no plans to change this.

Local Government Finance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what has been the change this year in the level of business rates in each London borough.

Alan Whitehead: The table shows the amount of business rates that each London borough (and the City) estimates that it will collect in 2002–03 compared with estimates made at the corresponding time last year for 2001–02.
	
		
			   Net business rate yield for 2002–02(1)(£ million) Net business rate yield for 2002–03(1) (£ million) Change in net business rate yield between 2001–02 and 2002–03(2) (£ million) Change in net business rate yield between 2001–02 and 2002–03 (Percentage) 
		
		
			 Inner London 
			 City of London 471.7 531.3 59.6 12.6 
			 Camden 190.2 211.0 20.8 10.9 
			 Greenwich 47.5 44.9 -2.6 -5.4 
			 Hackney 46.5 47.0 0.5 1.1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 84.5 96.8 12.4 14.6 
			 Islington 99.1 107.5 8.3 8.4 
			  
			 Kensington and Chelsea 130.6 140.4 9.7 7.4 
			 Lambeth 64,0 67.9 3.9 6.1 
			 Lewisham 37.6 36.3 -1.2 -3.3 
			 Southwark 90.4 90.1 -0.2 -0.3 
			 Tower Hamlets 119.1 138.1 19.0 15.9 
			 Wandsworth 61.1 62.2 1.1 1.8 
			 Westminster 788.1 875.0 86.9 11.0 
			 Total for Inner London 2,230.3 2,448.6 218.2 9.8 
			  
			 Outer London 
			 Barking and Dagenham 43.5 41.7 -1.8 -4.0 
			 Barnet 73.2 74.3 1.1 1.5 
			 Bexley 46.1 47.9 1.8 3.8 
			 Brent 66.9 67.2 0.4 0.6 
			 Bromley 65.7 65.9 0.2 0.3 
			  
			 Croydon 86.2 89.7 3.4 4.0 
			 Ealing 85.8 89.7 4.0 4.6 
			 Enfield 65.3 65.6 0.2 0.4 
			 Haringey 42.8 43.7 0.9 2.2 
			 Harrow 44.2 43.7 -0.5 -1.2 
			 Havering 47.3 47.7 0.4 0.9 
			  
			 Hillingdon 231.8 246.0 14.2 6.1 
			 Hounslow 102.4 108.2 5.8 5.7 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 54.4 56.8 2.4 4.4 
			 Merton 49.4 50.2 0.8 1.7 
			  
			 Newham 53.0 54.4 1.4 2.6 
			 Redbridge 39.9 39.1 -0.8 -2.0 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 48.6 50.5 1.9 4.0 
			 Sutton 37.8 37.0 -0.8 -2.0 
			 Waltham Forest 37.8 36.2 -1.6 -4.2 
			 Total for Outer London 1,322.0 1,355.5 33.5 2.5 
		
	
	(1) Net of transitional, mandatory and discretionary rate reliefs.
	(2) The business rate multiplier increased from 43.0p in 2001–02 to 43.7p in 2002–03. This increase was in line with changes in Retail Price Index, as required by legislation.

Local Government Finance

Gerry Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list for each of the last five years the SSA settlements for all local authorities and the percentage change from the previous year, showing those authorities with the highest percentage increase year on year and those with the lowest increases.

Alan Whitehead: Tables showing the SSA settlements for all local authorities, together with the percentage changes against the SSA figures for the previous year, adjusted for changes in the functions and funding of authorities, where appropriate, for 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Postal Ballots

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what contingency plans have been made for the conduct of all-postal ballots in the 2002 local elections in the event of industrial action disrupting the postal service.

Alan Whitehead: Councils have been in close contact with their local postal service representatives about the postal voting arrangements for the local elections. It is understood that no official industrial action is planned for the period of the elections. In the event of disruption to the postal service, Consignia is prepared to give priority to the delivery of voting material. Councils also have a range of contingency measures in place. These can include the use of commercial postal delivery firms and hand delivery arrangements. They can also set up ballot paper collection points and allow collection and delivery at council offices.

Planning

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to publish the final version of the Planning Policy Guidance Note 17.

Sally Keeble: I hope to be able to publish this shortly. As I indicated to last year's Transport, Local Government and the Regions Select Committee, this will not be before the publication of report of the Urban Green Spaces Task Force.

Housing

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what priority he intends to give to reducing the number of empty homes in his guidance to local authorities under the Homelessness Act 2002.

Sally Keeble: As I said on 12 July 2001 at the first sitting of the Homelessness Bill in the Commons, the statutory guidance on the homelessness provisions in the Homelessness Act 2002 will urge local housing authorities to include a review of empty properties within their district as part of the homelessness review that will inform their homelessness strategy.

Housing

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what assessment was made of congestion levels in each region when determining house-building targets; and what influence this had on the final targets;
	(2)  what the estimated environmental cost is to each local authority arising from meeting the house-building targets.

Stephen Byers: This Government do not set house building targets.

Housing

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what new money has been made available to help combat homelessness following the publication of the report 'More than a roof'.

Stephen Byers: The DTLR has allocated £125 million to the Homelessness Directorate for 2002–03 to tackle homelessness. This is made up of the Rough Sleepers Unit existing baseline of £30 million, the remainder being found from DTLR's End Year Flexibility and savings on other existing budgets.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2002, Official Report, column 667W, what assessment he has made of the factors underlying the change in the numbers of successful cash incentive scheme grant applications by local authority tenants between 1997–98 and 2000–01.

Sally Keeble: We have not conducted a detailed assessment of the change in the number of successful applications. However, there was a significant reduction when separate ring-fenced funding was phased out in 1999–2000 (even though total housing capital funding was increased substantially). At that stage a number of authorities cut back or discontinued the scheme.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on (a) establishing a cash incentive scheme and (b) the types and size of local authority property that should be prioritised for release under the cash incentive scheme.

Sally Keeble: Guidance on the operation of cash incentive schemes is issued by the Department from time to time, most recently in February 2000. Decisions about targeting the scheme on particular types and sizes of properties are for authorities to take, in the light of local circumstances.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what the maximum grants available are for housing association tenants of (a) bedsits, (b) one-bedroom properties, (c) two-bedroom properties, (d) three-bedroom properties, (e) four-bedroom properties and (f) properties with five or more bedrooms under the Tenants Incentive scheme;
	(2)  what factors determine the relationship between the rate of maximum discount available to housing association tenants under the Right to Acquire scheme and the rate of maximum grant available under the Tenants Incentive scheme;
	(3)  what the maximum discounts available are for housing association tenants of (a) bedsits, (b) one- bedroom properties, (c) two-bedroom properties, (d) three-bedroom properties, (e) four-bedroom properties and (f) properties with five or more bedrooms under the Right to Acquire scheme.

Sally Keeble: The Right to Acquire scheme gives eligible tenants of registered social landlords the right to purchase their rented home with the help of a discount. The discount generally varies from £9,000 up to a maximum of £16,000, irrespective of the size of the property, and depends on the local authority area in which the dwelling is situated.
	The Tenants Incentive Scheme was discontinued on 31 March 1998. It provided a cash payment, equivalent to the right to acquire discount, funded by the Housing Corporation to help existing tenants vacate their housing association property and purchase their own home.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 26 March, Official Report, column 978W, on housing, if he will place in the Library copies of the research programmes that have been carried out into the cash incentive scheme.

Sally Keeble: Copies of the three research reports, are available from the Libraries of the House. (Cash Incentive Report 1989–1990, 1991–1994, 1994–1997).

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2002, Official Report, column 668W, on right to buy, if he will make an assessment of the impact of increasing the maximum cash incentive scheme grant available in London to a level (a) equal to the maximum right to buy discount available in London and (b) 25 per cent. higher than the maximum right to buy discount in London.

Sally Keeble: We have no plans to carry out any further research/analysis on the impact of the cash incentive scheme in the immediate future.

Housing

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 22 March 2002, Official Report, column 357W, if he will publish his assessment of Birmingham city council's application for a place on the housing transfer programme.

Sally Keeble: The assessment of Birmingham city council's application for a place on the housing transfer programme is internal advice to the Secretary of State and as such it would be inappropriate to make it publicly available.

Housing

Bill Rammell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the average weekly rent level is for (a) housing association and (b) local housing company tenants in those local authority areas where housing has been transferred from the council under large-scale voluntary transfer.

Sally Keeble: In answer to part (a), the average weekly rent levels for housing association tenants in local authorities where all housing had been transferred from the council as at 31 March 2001 were as shown in the following table:
	
		£ 
		
			 Local authority Average weekly rent 
		
		
			 Allerdale 43.64 
			 Basingstoke and Deane 63.09 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 45.38 
			 Bedford 59.07 
			 Bexley 63.58 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 50.51 
			 Boston 39.49 
			 Breckland 49.66 
			 Broadland 53.72 
			 Bromley 65.76 
			 Burnley 44.51 
			 Calderdale 38.97 
			 Chester 41.49 
			 Chichester 55.25 
			 Chiltern 59.73 
			 Christchurch 58.47 
			 Congleton 43.45 
			 Cotswold 61.29 
			 Coventry 42.97 
			 East Cambridgeshire 50.71 
			 East Dorset 54.23 
			 East Hampshire 62.18 
			 East Lindsey 43.56 
			 East Northamptonshire 47.39 
			 East Staffordshire 39.78 
			 Eastleigh 63.16 
			 Eden 53.57 
			 Elmbridge 60.04 
			 Epsom and Ewell 58.71 
			 Fylde 39.70 
			 Hambleton 42.17 
			 Hart 60.48 
			 Hastings 55.37 
			 Havant 59.85 
			 Hertsmere 56.26 
			 Horsham 63.15 
			 Huntingdonshire 51.97 
			 Isle of Wight 62.56 
			 Kennet 56.22 
			 Kerrier 48.96 
			 Lichfield 49.59 
			 Maldon 61.93 
			 Malvern Hills 53.60 
			 Mendip 47.50 
			 Mid Sussex 70.30 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme 36.57 
			 North Devon 49.87 
			 North Dorset 58.15 
			 North Wiltshire 55.97 
			 Penwith 52.52 
			 Restormel 49.62 
			 Richmond upon Thames 64.44 
			 Rother 62.79 
			 Rushmoor 60.93 
			 Ryedale 50.16 
			 Sevenoaks 61.88 
			 South Bucks 63.58 
			 South Hams 55.41 
			 South Oxfordshire 60.79 
			 South Ribble 47.74 
			 South Shropshire 51.45 
			 South Somerset 49.62 
			 South Staffordshire 46.03 
			 Spelthorne 67.84 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands 42.24 
			 Stratford-on-Avon 47.49 
			 Suffolk Coastal 47.57 
			 Sunderland 45.58 
			 Surrey Heath 57.35 
			 Swale 65.20 
			 Tameside 46.36 
			 Telford and Wrekin 48.16 
			 Test Valley 52.07 
			 Tewkesbury 50.91 
			 Tonbridge and Malling 58.79 
			 Torbay 51.90 
			 Tunbridge Wells 65.48 
			 Tynedale 42.33 
			 Vale of White Horse 52.19 
			 West Berkshire 59.55 
			 West Devon 49.22 
			 West Dorset 53.69 
			 West Lindsey 41.60 
			 West Oxfordshire 52.11 
			 West Somerset 58.46 
			 West Wiltshire 54.99 
			 Weymouth and Portland 48.65 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 68.03 
			 Worthing 54.60 
			 Wychavon 49.03 
			 Wyre 47.03 
			 Wyre Forest 43.74 
		
	
	In addition, average weekly rents paid by housing association tenants in local authorities where only some housing had been transferred from the council as at 31 March 2001 were as follows:
	
		£ 
		
			 Local authority Average weekly rent 
		
		
			 Cherwell 55.96 
			 Enfield 64.06 
			 Manchester 47.89 
			 Mid Bedfordshire 52.27 
			 Thanet 57.50 
			 Tower Hamlets 60.54 
			 Walsall 49.19 
		
	
	It should further be noted that since 31 March 2001, full transfer of council stock to housing associations has taken place in Erewash, Reigate and Banstead, East Hertfordshire, Chelmsford, Derbyshire Dales, Shrewsbury and Atcham and the rest of Mid-Bedfordshire.
	In response to part (b), the term "local housing company tenants" has been interpreted as meaning the new "arms-length management companies". These have only recently been established and information on rent levels is not yet available.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information his Department has collated on those local authorities in London who add an additional premium to the cash incentive scheme grant to those tenants who purchase a property on the open market within the same borough.

Sally Keeble: Information on this matter is not collated centrally.

Television Services

Bill Olner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what the terms of reference are for the review of planning regulations relating to satellite dish installations referred to in the Government's Broadband Strategy; when the review began; and when it will report;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the impact of the inconsistency between planning regulations for satellite dishes and planning regulations for terrestrial television aerials on the availability of digital satellite television and broadband satellite services in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) areas where digital terrestrial television services are unavailable;
	(3)  what input the review of planning regulations relating to satellite dish installations will seek from (a) devolved institutions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and (b) regional development agencies.

Sally Keeble: The Government gave a commitment in the UK Online Annual report 2001 to review the planning regulations for satellite terminals to determine how current rules restricting a residential property to a single antenna could be relaxed, while continuing to minimise the environmental/visual impact of residential satellite terminals. The Digital Television Action Plan endorsed by Government and by the digital television stakeholders also promises a review of the impact of planning regulations on the deployment of aerials and dishes, with an initial report due by June 2002. My officials are currently discussing the issues with those of other Government Departments prior to discussions with relevant external stakeholders and then a wider public consultation on possible changes to the planning regulations that apply to England. Planning arrangements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved administrations but we shall keep them in touch with discussions in England.

Equipment Leasing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 4 March 2002, Official Report, column 84W, regarding equipment leasing arrangements, what the total cost has been of equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in the last four years.

Alan Whitehead: This answer can only be given at a disproportionate cost, as it is not held centrally by the Department.

Overtime Payments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his policy is on overtime payments for staff in his Department.

Alan Whitehead: Overtime payments are allowable only when there is exceptional pressure of work and alternative members of staff cannot be utilised for the tasks or where business needs dictate.

Air Traffic Control

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on plans to integrate the Air Traffic Control systems of EU countries.

John Spellar: Negotiations on the European Commission's Single Sky proposals are under way. This project is designed to enhance Europe's airspace capacity, improve safety and achieve a greater degree of interoperability between the various suppliers of air traffic services in EU states. It does not require the integration of service providers, but focuses on more collective management of the European air traffic management system.
	In the long-term, closer integration between Europe's air traffic service providers seems likely, particularly given the need to enhance efficiency so that future air traffic levels can be accommodated safely.

Ports

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the financial impact of state funding and subsidies for European ports on the competitive position of UK ports and port operators.

David Jamieson: We have not made specific estimates, but the European Commission included a report on public financing and charging in European ports in its Communication on Ports, published in February 2001. In discussions on its proposed Directive on Market Access to Port Services, we have urged the Commission to take a further look at these issues.

Ports

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the proposals for European port services.

David Jamieson: The UK supports the broad principles of liberalisation and competition in port services underpinning the proposed Directive on Market Access to Port Services but we are very keen that it should be realistic and proportionate. It must recognise the diversity of the industry and the competition that already exists. A Transport Council working group is considering the Commission's proposed Directive. We are engaging fully in these negotiations in a constructive manner.

Ports

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 26 March, Official Report, column 946W, on European Union ports, what response he has had from the Commission to these representations.

David Jamieson: We are awaiting a response from the Commission.

Humber Pilotage Service

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the new Humber pilotage service.

David Jamieson: A new pilotage service was introduced on the Humber on 12 December 2001 when the former pilots went on strike. My Department has closely monitored the new arrangements and I am placing in the Library a copy of a detailed report of that work. A copy will also be placed as soon as practicable on the Department's website.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the cost of publicity and educational material published by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02.

David Jamieson: The cost of publicity and educational material published by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 is:
	
		
			 Year £ 
		
		
			 2000–01 621,293.03 
			 2001–02 1,000,006.15 
		
	
	These figures include the cost of exhibition stands and publicity trailers as well as publications and promotional items.

Traffic Calming

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will carry out an evaluation of the respective effectiveness and net cost of (a) road humps and (b) speed cameras as a means of reducing traffic speed levels.

David Jamieson: A review of traffic calming schemes in 20 mph zones undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory in 1996 (TRL Report 215, "Review of Traffic Calming Schemes in 20 mph zones") showed an average vehicle speed reduction of 9.3 mph in the zones. A cost benefit analysis of speed and traffic light cameras, also published in 1996, showed that speeds were reduced by an average of 4.2 mph at camera sites.
	Monitoring of the first year of a trial of the netting off funding system for safety cameras has shown average speeds at camera sites reducing by 5.6 mph. In the case of road humps they are usually incorporated with other measures in traffic calming schemes, so their net costs have not been separately evaluated. However, the value of the benefits exceed the costs by a factor of five to one in the case of speed safety cameras.

Traffic Calming

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of levels of pollution and difference in noise levels as a result of road humps and traffic-calming measures which involve narrowing of the highway and the construction of an uneven road surface.

David Jamieson: A number of assessments have carried out examining changes in noise resulting from traffic calming measures, particularly resulting from different types of road hump. Results from these were published in Traffic Advisory Leaflets 6/96 "Traffic Calming: Traffic and Vehicle Noise" and 10/00 "Road humps: discomfort, noise and ground-borne vibration". Changes in vehicle emissions and air quality relating to traffic calming measures have also been the subject of departmental research (see Traffic Advisory Leaflet 4/96 "Traffic Management and Emissions"), some of which is still on-going.

Lorries

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the estimated number of lorries on the roads was in each of the last five years.

Stephen Byers: The latest available figures for 1996 to 2000, based on DVLA records of the number of heavy goods vehicles registered, are:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1996 430,000 
			 1997 426,000 
			 1998 427,000 
			 1999 424,000 
			 2000 422,000

Environmental Assessments

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what assessment of the Government's energy policies has been made with regards to assessing the environmental impact of (a) the 10-year plan and (b) the SRA plan;
	(2)  what assessment has been made as to the environmental costs resulting from (a) noise emissions, (b) vibration impacts and (c) aesthetic impacts caused by (i) road projects as outlined in the 10-year transport plan and (ii) rail projects as given in (1) the SRA plan and (2) the 10-year transport plan;
	(3)  what assessment has been made as to the environmental impact of (a) the 10-year plan and (b) the SRA plan.

Stephen Byers: An overall environmental assessment of the 10-year plan is set out in "Transport 2010: The Background Analysis", Chapter 4 and Annexes D and E. This is in the Libraries of the House. Individual projects, including those in the SRA Strategic Plan, are subject to environmental assessment, where appropriate, on an on-going basis as part of project development.

Environmental Assessments

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the environmental benefits of switching road haulage to rail on the West Coast Main Line.

Stephen Byers: The Strategic Rail Authority assesses the environmental benefit of the transfer of freight from road to rail using a calculation based on the net number of road lorry miles reduced. This has been applied in informing the current review of the allocation of capacity for passenger and freight trains on the West Coast Main Line.

Environmental Assessments

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment has been made as to the environmental costs of the increased processing required to produce ultra low sulphur petrol.

Stephen Byers: Statutory instrument 1999 No. 3107 incorporated the EU Directive 98/70/EC on the quality of petrol and diesel fuels into UK law. The regulatory impact assessment that assessed the impacts of the actions required to incorporate the directive included an environmental assessment. Copies of the directive, the statutory instrument and the regulatory impact assessment can be found in the Libraries of the House.

Alternative Fuels

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library details of the calculation on which the fuel duty rebate levels on (a) Cngas, (b) Lpgas, (c) biodiesels, (d) LNG, (e) E10 bioethanol blends and (f) E85 bioethanol blends is based;
	(2)  what level of fuel duty rebate has been granted to the road fuels (a) Cngas, (b) Lpgas, (c) biodiesels, (d) LNG, (e) E10 bioethanol blends and (f) E85 bioethanol blends.

Stephen Byers: My Department provides grant to the operators of local bus services in the form of fuel duty rebate. Decisions on the rate of grant paid for use of specific types of fuel are taken in the light of the duty levied on the fuel and wider policy considerations. An information pack explaining the fuel duty rebate scheme has been placed in the Library.
	Operators of eligible services whose vehicles are gas powered (CNG, LPG, or LNG) receive rebate of all the excise duty, which is currently levied at 9 pence per kilogram.
	No operator has so far claimed rebate for use of biodiesel and a rebate rate has not been set in advance of a claim.
	E10 and E85 bioethanol blends are used as an additive to, or substitute for, petrol and are classed by the Customs and Excise as fuel substitutes with duty levied at the rate appropriate to the fuel with which they are mixed or substitute for. Any bus operator using petrol which included these blends would therefore receive rebate at the appropriate petrol rate, currently 34.30 per litre.

Alternative Fuels

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what Government incentives, in addition to public money, have been introduced to promote the use of (a) Cngas, (b) Lpgas, (c) biodiesels, (d) LNG, (e) E10 bioethanol blends and (f) E85 bioethanol blends;
	(2)  what the level of public funding is for the Powershift programme;
	(3)  what public money has been made available to encourage the use of (a) Cngas, (b) Lpgas, (c) biodiesels, (d) LNG, (e) E10 bioethanol blends and (f) E85 bioethanol blends in road transport.
	(4)  what advertising campaigns have been carried out as part of the Powershift programme; and what level of funding has been associated with them.
	(5)  what share of the funding for the Powershift programme is spent on promoting (a) Cngas, (b) Lpgas, (c) biodiesels, (d) LNG, (e) E10 bioethanol blends and (f) E85 bioethanol blends for transport.

Stephen Byers: The Government has introduced a range of fiscal and other measures to promote the use of cleaner fuels, such as road fuel gases and biofuels, which offer environmental benefits.
	The Powershift programme promotes and provides grants towards the cost of purchasing cleaner fuel vehicles running on LPG, natural gas and electricity. No E10 or E85 blends are currently on sale in the UK. The Powershift budget for 2002–03 is £10 million, provided by my Department. This has recently been strengthened by an additional allocation of £1 million from the DTI, aimed at further raising awareness of LPG and increase the availability of good quality LPG vehicle conversions, particularly in rural areas.
	The Government's CleanUp programme, complements Powershift, promotes and provides grants towards the conversion of existing vehicles to run on cleaner fuels including LPG and natural gas, and the fitting of emission abatement equipment. Its budget for 2002–03 is £10 million, of which around £8.5 million is likely to relate to clean fuel conversions. Additionally, the CleanUp programme will manage a further £7.5 million in 2002–03, as part of the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund announced by the Chancellor in the 2001 Budget and of which around £5.8 million will be for grants.
	As announced in Budget 2001, the rate of fuel duty for road fuel gasses (natural gas and LPG) is at the low rate of 9 pence per kilogramme, and the Government indicated that there were would be no real terms duty increases until 2004 at the earliest. It was also announced that a new duty rate would be applied to biodiesel from Budget 2002, subject to European Union approval, 20 pence per litre below the rate for ultra low sulphur diesel.
	The Government's Green Fuels Challenge is designed to stimulate the development of further alternative fuels. Proposals covering hydrogen, methanol and bio-gas will enjoy a period of zero fuel duty, subject to EU state aids clearance.. A second round of pilot project will be announced shortly after Budget 2002 inviting bids for a wider range of fuels.
	The Powershift programme has a comprehensive marketing strategy to raise awareness of LPG and other alternative fuels. This includes advertising campaigns, regional workshops and articles run in environmental magazines. Over the last financial year the programme has run two advertising campaigns, the first targeted corporate fleet operators of vehicles under 3.5 tonnes and the second targeted at public sector fleets. The expenditure for these campaigns was £55,000.

Alternative Fuels

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  how many grants have been awarded under the Powershift Programme in each year since it was introduced;
	(2)  how much has been paid out in grants under the Powershift Programme in each year since it was introduced;
	(3)  how many LPG refuelling points there are in the UK; and how many sites there were in (a) April 2001 and (b) April 2000.

David Jamieson: The table shows the total amount paid and the number of grants made together with the number of vehicles supported under the Powershift programme since it started.
	
		
			 Years 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Total 
		
		
			 Number of grants 69 127 392 1172 1177 2937 
			 Number of vehicles supported 378 748 2,262 4,545 4,940 14,110 
			 Amount of grant paid £1.043m £1.461m £3.352m £6.040m £5.595m £17.491m 
		
	
	The latest figures from the LP Gas Association confirm that there are currently 1,106 LPG refuelling points in the UK, at the end of March 2001 there were 700 and at the end of March 2000 there were 365.

Alternative Fuels

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of road transport fuel is gas based.

Stephen Byers: 65,778 tonnes of road fuels gases were sold in 2001. For comparison approximately 37 million tonnes of petrol and diesel were sold in the UK in 2000.

Railtrack

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his policy is on supporting a bid for Railtrack plc in administration which has not been subject to due diligence.

David Jamieson: holding answer 10 April 2001
	The extent of due diligence undertaken by any bidder for Railtrack plc is a matter for them. It is for the Administrator to determine the appropriate arrangements for access to the company. Network Rail, and any other potential bidders would need to address the issues set out in the guidelines issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 31 October 2001.

Railtrack

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the bid from Network Rail for Railtrack Plc was received by the administrator.

David Jamieson: holding answer 10 April 2002
	This is a matter for the Administrator.

Railtrack

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answers of 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 956W, refs. 45677 and 45678, on Railtrack, if the 10-year plan budget assumes a 2 per cent. annual reduction in real terms of Railtrack's overall income, including track access charges and network grants, for Control Period 2.

David Jamieson: No. The £33.5 billion of public sector funding for rail in the 10-year plan takes account of Railtrack's regulated income in Control Period 2 as outlined in the Regulator's October 2000 periodic review and the April 2001 agreement between Government and Railtrack.

Railtrack

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the dates on which he or officials from his Department have met representatives of Railtrack shareholders since 8 October 2001.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 15 April 2002
	It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of meetings or discussions with private individuals or companies.

Channel Tunnel

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with his French counterparts regarding the security of the channel tunnel rail link.

John Spellar: Both Ministers and the Department are in regular contact with the French Government about security issues at the channel tunnel.

Channel Tunnel

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he has taken since November 2001 with regard to (a) his French ministerial counterpart and (b) the European Commissioner for Transport on (i) the disruption to rail freight facilities through the channel tunnel and (ii) the suspension of rail freight services through the channel tunnel.

John Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on Tuesday 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 957W.

Freight

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was the average journey length made by road hauliers to collect freight from the rail system to transfer it to its destination in the last 12 months.

Stephen Byers: The average journey length made by road hauliers to collect freight from the rail system during 2000 was 53 kilometres. This is the latest figure available.

Freight

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was the average journey length made by road hauliers to take freight to transfer onto the railway system in the last 12 months.

Stephen Byers: The average journey length made by road hauliers to transfer freight onto the railway system in 2000 was 74 kilometres. This is the latest figure available.

Public Transport

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on European discussions about liberalisation of public transport, as discussed at the Barcelona Summit.

John Spellar: The Barcelona European Council conclusions called for the adoption by December 2002 of the Regulation on public service contracts. This proposal is intended to stimulate more efficient and attractive public transport through the use of regulated competition and other measures and to promote legal certainty for authorities and operators. Several Council working groups have already taken place, and further meetings are scheduled. The Commission gave a progress report on the proposal to the Transport Council on 26 March 2002. Ministers have also discussed the draft Regulation during a number of bilaterals with their European counterparts. The European Parliament has yet to schedule a date for further debate on the proposal.
	The European Council in Barcelona also called on the Council to pursue work on the second railways package. The Commission's second railways package, published on 23 January, includes a proposal to complete liberalisation of the rail freight market by extending it to all domestic traffic including cabotage. The package also envisages further liberalisation of the passenger market, on which the Commission expects to bring forward specific proposals as part of its programme for the next five years. There was an initial Ministerial discussion of the package at the March Transport Council, but so far no further discussions have been scheduled.

Trans European Networks

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his policy on the Trans European Networks.

John Spellar: The Government supports the development of the European transport network. On 3 October 2001, the European Commission adopted proposals to amend the guidelines which govern the development of the network. An Explanatory Memorandum (12597) on the proposals was submitted to Parliament on 2 November 2001. Following a formal public consultation exercise, the Government remains very concerned about the Commission's proposal to add six new priority transport projects to the list at Annex III to the guidelines.
	On 3 January 2002 the Commission adopted a proposal to amend the Regulation which lays down general rules for Community financing of the trans-European networks. An Explanatory Memorandum (15111) on that proposal was submitted to Parliament on 31 January. The Memorandum makes clear that the Government does not support the Commission's proposal to increase the maximum level of EU support for certain transport projects from 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. of total investment costs.

10-year Plan

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 26 March, Official Report, column 961W, ref 45348, on which of these projects (a) the high-level feasibility stage has been completed and (b) the detailed development work has begun.

David Jamieson: Significant elements of all of the schemes listed as commitments on page 49 of the SRA's Strategic Plan are currently being implemented or are at a detailed stage of development. Of the schemes listed as priorities by 2010 the table sets out their status.
	
		
			 Project Status 
		
		
			 Committed outputs from the Chiltern, South Central and South West replacements Chiltern—being implemented 
			  South Central—High level feasibility stage 
			  South West—Detailed development stage 
			 Thameslink 2000 Detailed development stage 
			 East Coast Main Line upgrade, including improvements at Kings Cross High level feasibility stage 
			 Freight Strategy Various projects at different stages of development. Details are in the SRA strategic plan 
			 Midland Mainline franchise extension Implemented 
			 TransPennine refranchising Subject of a commercial competition 
			 New trains and platform extensions to reduce overcrowding in South-east England Several projects at different stages of development. 
			 East London Line extension Detailed development stage. Implementation of northern extension has started 
			 London—West Anglia modernisation High level feasibility stage 
			 RPP schemes Comprises several projects at different stages of development 
		
	
	The schemes listed for further development are all at the pre-feasibility or initial study stage.

Railways

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information on the division of investment in rail projects between train operators, rolling stock leasing companies and infrastructure investment under the 10-year transport plan will be given to private investors.

David Jamieson: Information on estimated private sector investment in rail, in total and by type, has been set out in the 10-year Plan and the SRA Strategic Plan.

Railways

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many former regional railways franchises have received funding from the SRA in addition to their original franchise deals; and if he will make a statement on the nature and extent of this funding.

Stephen Byers: Details are, or will be, provided in the relevant annual reports of the Strategic Rail Authority and the franchising director. Copies of reports already published have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what rights Network Rail has to draw upon the proposed £9 billion bridging loan from the SRA.

David Jamieson: The Network Rail proposal, if successful, would involve a subordinated standby credit facility from the SRA to enable Network Rail to raise up to £9 billion bridging finance from private sector lenders to release Railtrack from administration as soon as possible. This would be refinanced through the capital markets on a longer term, securitised basis later in the year. The SRA credit facility would only be called upon (as a loan) to enable Network Rail to repay the bridging loans in the extremely unlikely event of Network Rail being unable to access the capital markets for these longer term loans.

Railways

Michael Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the underwriting of the debt of Network Rail by means of potential emergency loans from the Strategic Rail Authority and his estimate of the maximum potential liability to the taxpayer.

John Spellar: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Network Rail proposal, if successful, would involve a subordinated standby credit facility from the SRA to enable Network Rail to raise bridging finance—to release Railtrack from administration as soon as possible—and to provide a longer term backstop loan facility, which would only be used by the company in specified circumstances as a last resort.
	The size of the credit facility is subject to negotiation, but would be expected to reduce over time as knowledge of the asset condition and cost causation improves. Once negotiations are completed, details of any credit facility that created a contingent liability would be notified formally to Parliament in accordance with established procedures.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guarantees the Government provide for debt raised by Network Rail.

John Spellar: The Network Rail proposal, if successful, would involve a subordinated standby credit facility from the SRA to enable Network Rail to raise bridging finance—to release Railtrack from administration as soon as possible—and to provide a longer term back stop loan facility, which would only be used by the company in specified circumstances as a last resort.
	The size of the credit facility is subject to negotiation, but would be expected to reduce over time as knowledge of the asset condition and cost causation improves. Once negotiations are completed, details of any credit facility that created a contingent liability would be notified formally to Parliament in accordance with established procedures.

Railways

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of the rail network is electrified.

Stephen Byers: I understand that just over one third of the rail network is currently equipped with electrification.

Railways

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans there are to increase integration of rail networks on a European level; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: The Commission published its second railway package on 23 January. This includes formal proposals to complete liberalisation of the European rail freight market, on safety, interoperability, the creation of a European Rail Agency and Community accession to the COTIF convention (the convention concerning international carriage by rail).
	The Government share the Commission's objective of enhancing the role of railways in our transport system through greater efficiency and higher quality services and therefore welcomes publication of the package. We will be consulting widely on the package before reaching a formal position on the proposals and in particular will be concerned to ensure they do not impose unreasonable costs.

DEFENCE

Reservists

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether reservists will continue to be called out for operations in the Balkans and the region of Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: Two call-out orders have been made to enable reservists to continue to be called out into service to support operations in those regions. The first, made under section 54 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996, authorised the call out of members of the reserve forces to support operations in the region of Iraq. Its purpose is to continue the practice started in 1992 of calling out reservists, primarily specialists, to support the no-fly zone operations over north and south Iraq. At present 10 reservists are serving in the region. The second order was made under section 56 of the Act to allow reservists to be called into service to support operations in former Yugoslavia. Since 1995, when NATO operations commenced in former Yugoslavia, the reserve forces have provided some 10 per cent. of the total UK manpower in theatre. NATO's on-going study to find efficiencies for troop contributing nations will not be agreed or implemented in time to mitigate the present need. Both orders are effective until 31 March 2003.

Performance Targets

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Pay and Personnel Agency for the financial year 2002–03.

Lewis Moonie: The chief executive of the Pay and Personnel Agency is responsible for providing civilian pay, pensions and personnel information services for the Ministry of Defence as defined in the agency framework document. The agency will be set the following key performance targets for 2002–03:
	Key Target 1
	By March 2003 increase from 70 per cent. to 100 per cent. the proportion of PPA services available through the Customer Service Centre; increase from 8 to 15 the number of most important customer forms available on-line; and enable an effective single portal for civilian staff matters.
	Key Target 2
	Implement the new pensions project by October 2002.
	Key Target 3
	Improve customer satisfaction from 76 per cent. to 85 per cent. in 2002–03 and 90 per cent. in 2004–05.
	Key Target 4
	Increase from 55 per cent. to 85 per cent. by March 2003 and 100 per cent. by March 2004 the proportion of the agency covered by a single ISO certificate.
	Key Target 5
	Reduce the cost of Service Level Agreement tasks compared to 1997–98 by 25 per cent.

Meteorological Office

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Quinquennial Review of the Meteorological Office will take place.

Lewis Moonie: The Quinquennial Review of the Met Office will begin this month. The aim of the review is to examine how the Met Office has performed since its launch as a Trading Fund within the Ministry of Defence and to recommend whether, and if so what, measures should be taken in order to reinforce the office's delivery of cost-effective services to its customers and to ensure that full use is made of its scientific and human assets.
	The review will proceed in two phases, in the first of which a number of "framework" issues will be examined, including whether the Met Office is best placed as a Trading Fund within the MOD to exploit its full potential and whether existing governance arrangements require adjustment. The report of this first phase of the review is expected in July.
	In the second phase, the review will address, in the light of the answers to the "framework" issues examined in the first phase, a number of questions concerned with the operating efficiency of the Met Office, including the development of a more appropriate relationship between the office and its public sector customers, the scope for developing more commercial business opportunities, the potential for greater national and international co-operation in both meteorology and environmental services generally, and the scope for further streamlining of business processes both within the Met Office and between the office and its customers. The report of this second phase of the review is expected in October.
	The review will be carried out by a small team, which will consult closely with the Met Office management and other stakeholders, including the office's customers. The MOD is interested also to hear the views of other organisations or individuals who would like to make a contribution to the review. Those wishing to do so should send their contributions to:
	The Met Office QQR Team
	The Met Office
	London Road
	Bracknell
	Berkshire
	RG12 2SZ.

Frigates

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 4 March 2002, Official Report, column 34W, to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray), on which dates the Type 23s and Type 22s will be refitted with the 114mm Mark VIII Mod 1 gun.

Adam Ingram: The 4.5 inch (114mm) Mark VIII Mod 1 gun has already been fitted to the Type 22 Batch 3 Frigate, HMS Cumberland and to the Type 23 Frigates, HMS Norfolk and HMS Iron Duke. HMS Marlborough and HMS Monmouth, both Type 23 Frigates, will be fitted with the updated gun during their current upkeep periods. It is currently planned that the remaining Type 22 Batch 3 and Type 23 Frigates will be fitted with the gun at a rate of two to three per year, during programmed maintenance and repair periods.

Unexploded Ordnance

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have received compensation from the Ministry of Defence for injuries inflicted by unexploded ordnance; and how much that compensation has totalled in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence does not record separately those cases brought against the Department for injuries inflicted by unexploded ordnance. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Unexploded Ordnance

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of (a) how many people are expected to receive compensation from the Ministry of Defence for injuries inflicted by unexploded ordnance in Kenya and (b) how much that compensation will total; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has received 173 claims for compensation from tribespeople allegedly injured as a result of unexploded ordnance in Kenya. The solicitor acting for the tribespeople has intimated that about 100 further claims would be submitted. These claims will be considered on the basis of whether or not the Ministry of Defence has a legal liability to pay compensation. It would be prejudicial at this stage of the legal proceedings to announce the Ministry of Defence's estimate of the number of claimants expected to receive compensation and the total level of such awards.

Porton Down

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many claims have been received by the War Pensions Agency from service personnel who took part in experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down for compensation arising out of these experiments since 19 February 2001.

Lewis Moonie: Between 19 February 2001 and 31 March 2002, 41 claims for war pensions have been received from Porton Down service volunteers.

SA80

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what problems have been experienced with the modified version of the SA80.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The modified SA80 is attracting excellent reports from units. Minor issues, common to any modification programme, have been identified and dealt with.

Defence Aviation Repair Agency

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he plans to take if the Defence Aviation Repair Agency fails to meet its targets in the financial year 2001–02.

Adam Ingram: In preparation for the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) achieving trading fund status on 1 April 2001, the agency's business plans and financial targets were subject to rigorous scrutiny by Ministry of Defence and Treasury officials.
	The targets set for DARA in 2001–02 have been based on the business requirements of the agency's MOD customers and also on its abilities in winning new business from external commercial markets. I continuously assess and review DARA's performance against a number of key performance indicators (KPIs). These key targets were established following consultation with both the Treasury and National Audit Office.
	The targets cover:
	
		
			 Key performance indicator Description 
		
		
			 1. Quality To equal baseline performance against a financial year 2000–01 benchmark (based on fault reports) 
			 2. Return on capital employed To achieve a 6 per cent. return on capital employed (ROCE) 
			 3. Reduction in unit production price To achieve a 2 per cent. reduction in unit production price 
			 4. Increase in order intake To achieve a 100 per cent. increase in order intake from financial year 2000–01 baseline 
			 5. Increase in commercial revenue To achieve a 15 per cent. increase in commercial revenue from financial year 2000–01 baseline 
		
	
	At the last ministerial advisory board, the assessment presented to me indicated that most of the targets for 2001–02 were likely to be met or exceeded. It is too soon, however, to be able to provide accurate details or figures until later this year, once the end of year results are collated.The targets set for 2002–03 are now in the process of being agreed with DARA.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what 
	(1)  estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Defence Fixed Telecommunications Service for the Ministry of Defence, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Hazardous Stores Information Project for the Ministry of Defence by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for RAF Lossiemouth (FQ), by comparison with a non- Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency Fire Training, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(5)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Tidworth Water and Sewerage for the Ministry of Defence, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(6)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the German White Fleet for the Ministry of Defence, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(7)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(8)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Central Scotland FQ for the Ministry of Defence, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(9)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Yeovilton (Family Quarters) for the Ministry of Defence, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(10)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Attack Helicopter Training, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(11)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Hawk Simulator, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(12)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Medium Support Helicopter Air Crew Training Facility, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(13)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Training Administration and Financial Management Information System for the Ministry of Defence by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(14)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Joint Services Command and Staff College, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(15)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Flying Training for University Air Squadrons and Air Experience Flights, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(16)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for RAF Fylingdales (Power), by comparison with a non- Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(17)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for RAF Cosford/Shawbury, by comparison with a non- Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(18)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Helicopter Flying School, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(19)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for RAF Lyneham Sewerage for the Ministry of Defence, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(20)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the RAF White Fleet for the Ministry of Defence, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(21)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for RAF Mail, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(22)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Tornado SR4 Simulator, by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(23)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Army Mail (IT), by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Soldiers (Trade Unions)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of European Union law on the right of soldiers to join a trades union; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights provides for a right to peaceful assembly and association, including the right to form a trade union. The Article does allow for the imposition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of those rights by members of the armed forces. No restrictions are placed upon Service personnel attending meetings of civilian trade unions, professional associations, or courses of instruction run by the same that are intended to enhance trade skills and professional knowledge. However, as the armed forces must be seen to maintain a position of political neutrality, personnel may not participate in any form of political activity organised by a civilian trade union or organisation to which they belong.

Refits

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 18 March 2002, Official Report, column 73W, for what reasons the refits of (a) HMS Manchester and (b) HMS Liverpool are taking longer than the average periods given; and what enhancements are being provided to each of the five ships presently in refit.

Adam Ingram: The average refit period given in my reply to the hon. Member was indicative for the frigate and destroyer Class. The refit periods for ships within a Class will vary depending on individual requirements. HMS Manchester exceeded the average period principally due to work required on her gearbox. In HMS Liverpool's case, an extensive electronics package required an extended trials period.
	The five frigates and destroyers currently in refit will receive a number of enhancements at various levels, details of the major ones are given as follows:
	HMS Manchester (Type 42 Destroyer)
	Water displaced fuel tanks; an electronic package; environmental garbage disposal machines; removal of red lead paint.
	HMS Liverpool (Type 42 Destroyer)
	Water displaced fuel tanks; an extensive electronic package; environmental garbage disposal machines; removal of red lead paint.
	HMS Gloucester (Type 42 Destroyer)
	Water displaced fuel tanks; environmental garbage disposal machines; biological sewage treatment plants; Total command support system.
	HMS Iron Duke (Type 23 Frigate)
	Aviation facilities to allow operation of Merlin helicopter, command support and communications systems upgrade; installation of equipment to purify water discharged from ship to meet marine pollution regulations.
	HMS Monmouth (Type 23 Frigate)
	Enhancements as per HMS Iron Duke.

Destroyed Argentine Aircraft

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Argentine aircraft were destroyed by British forces in 1982 by (a) Sea Dart, (b) Sea Wolf, (c) Sea Cat, (d) Sea Slug, (e) Bofors, (f) Oerlikon, (h) small arms fire, (i) Blowpipe, (j) Rapier, (k) Harrier, (l) bombing and ground operations, (m) naval gunfire and (n) Stinger.

Adam Ingram: The causes of loss in the categories requested are shown in the following table.
	
		Falklands 1982—Argentine aircraft losses
		
			 Category Number 
		
		
			 Sea Dart 7 
			 Sea Wolf 3 
			 Sea Cat 0 
			 Sea Slug 0 
			 Bofors 1 
			 Oerlikon 0 
			 Small Arms Fire 2 
			 Blowpipe 1 
			 Rapier 1.5 
			 Harrier 26 
			 Bombing and Ground Operations 14 
			 Naval Gunfire 4 
			 Stinger 1 
			 Other 39.5

War Graves (France)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has made to the French authorities about the effect of a third Paris airport on Commonwealth war graves; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 166W.

War Graves (France)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of how many British and Commonwealth war graves would have to be relocated if the French authorities proceeded with a new airport at Chaulnes; and which military cemeteries are affected.

Lewis Moonie: The French Government have a good record for handling civil engineering projects on the battlefields of the Western Front with sensitivity. We have no reason to believe that they will handle this current proposal any differently. In the case of the proposed airport at Chaulnes, no firm plans have been agreed and the perimeter of the site is still to be discussed. However, based on the latest proposals which have been published in the French press, the cemeteries that could be affected are as follows, together with the number of British and Commonwealth graves that may be disturbed as a result.
	
		
			 Cemeteries Australian Canadian New Zealand South African United Kingdom Total 
		
		
			 Bouchoir New British 6 214 — 1 542 763 
			 Damery Communal — 10 — — 1 11 
			 Folies Communal — 1 — — 1 2 
			 Fouquescourt British 49 138 2 — 187 376 
			 Marcourt French National — 1 — — 5 6 
			 Meharicourt Communal 6 12 2 — 21 41 
			 Warvillers Churchyard Extension — 35 — — 13 48

Sovereign Base Areas Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the recent visit to the Sovereign Base Areas Cyprus by Lieutenant General Reith.

Adam Ingram: Lieutenant General Reith, Chief of Joint Operations, made a routine visit to Cyprus during the period 25–28 February. The trip was part of a series of visits to the three Overseas Commands (British Forces Gibraltar, Falkland Islands and Cyprus), of which he has operational command.

Territorial Army

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army are serving on operations; and in which locations their numbers exceed 50.

Lewis Moonie: As at 12 April there were 415 members of the Territorial Army serving on operations. The locations where the numbers exceeded 50 were Bosnia, where 174 were serving, and Kosovo, where 155 were serving.

Territorial Army

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strength is of the Territorial Army.

Lewis Moonie: As at 1 March 2002, the strength of the Territorial Army stood at 39,617 personnel of whom 392 are currently mobilised in support of operations.

Territorial Army

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to disband Territorial Army field hospital units.

Lewis Moonie: There are currently no plans to disband Territorial Army field hospital units.

Golden Jubilee

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the exclusion of retired officers from eligibility for the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: A number of hon. Members have written on behalf of constituents who are former members of the armed forces but who have been re-employed as civil servants in a Retired Officer grade. In addition, the Ministry of Defence has received letters from individual Retired Officers and the Retired Officers Association has made representations on behalf of their members. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 February 2002, Official Report, column 568W, to the hon. Member for Colchester (Bob Russell).

War Widows' Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons Mrs. M. K. Tushingham, a constituent whose details have been supplied, has been told that she may no longer receive her RAF widows pension via an order book at a post office.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 15 April 2002
	Pensions under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme are normally paid monthly in arrears. Some 6,700 pensioners (2 per cent. of the total number of Armed Forces pensioners) in receipt of pensions prior to 1981 have retained rights to payment of pensions weekly in advance, historically via a "Payable Order Book" (POB) cashable at post offices. Revised arrangements were introduced from April 2002 to provide the pensioner with a more secure means of payment than the POB system; it is also more cost-effective to the Ministry of Defence and easier to administer.

War Widows' Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which RAF widows can receive their war pensions other than into a bank account;
	(2)  what arrangements are available for war widows who (a) are unable to obtain a bank account and (b) do not wish to open a bank account to receive their pensions.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 15 April 2002
	War Widows pensions, administered by the Veterans Agency, can be paid into either a bank account or building society, or by cash at the post office.

Staff College, Shrivenham

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training and education the Joint Services Staff College at Shrivenham provides in peacekeeping and conflict resolution.

Adam Ingram: The Joint Services Staff College at Shrivenham provides a number of courses that cover peacekeeping and conflict resolution. The courses are:
	The Higher Command and Staff course, which trains 30 students per year.
	The Advanced Command and Staff course, which trains 420 students per year.
	The Royal Navy Junior Division, which trains 200 students per year.
	The Army Junior Division, which trains 420 students per year.
	The Royal Air Force Junior Division, which trains 440 students per year.
	Reserve courses.
	Students on all staff courses are issued a range of service and other publications on the subject, and specifically: JWP 3–50 "Peace Support Operations".

Accommodation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  who conducts the (a) customer attitude survey, (b) continuous attitude survey and (c) Independent Housing Survey; what questions on housing there were in each of the surveys; if he will place a copy of the most recent of each in the Library; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what percentage of respondents were content with the standard of accommodation allocated to them in the (a) customer attitude survey, (b) continuous attitude survey and (c) Independent Housing Survey; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Customer Attitude Survey conducted by QinetiQ for the Defence Housing Executive (DHE) is a comprehensive survey of attitudes relating to Service Family Accommodation. It is wide-ranging and covers many aspects of housing; copies have been placed in the Library of the House. It records 67 per cent. of service families as "content" with the standard of family accommodation. There is no separate "independent housing survey" questionnaire.
	Each of the Services undertakes continuous attitude surveys. These are not specifically related to family housing but are intended to measure morale and to understand the concerns and motivations of their personnel across a spectrum of issues, including conditions of service, training and development and accommodation of all kinds. There are no plans to release them into the public domain.
	For the RN, the continuous attitude survey responses of August 2001 indicated that some 58 per cent. were either very satisfied or satisfied, and 22 per cent neutral, with the standard of family accommodation provided. For the RAF, the survey for May and August 2001 indicated that 53 per cent. regarded their accommodation as satisfactory or very satisfactory and 31 per cent. as adequate. The corresponding question in the Army's August 2001 survey did not distinguish between family and single accommodation but showed 42 per cent. satisfied or very satisfied.

SAS and SBS

John Burnett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement as to the policy for Return to Mainstream service for personnel in the Special Air Service's and Special Boat Service; and whether he plans to recruit for SAS and SBS other than from serving members of the regular armed forces.

Adam Ingram: Non-commissioned personnel who successfully complete United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) selection, and continue to maintain appropriate standards, will normally serve the balance of their careers with UKSF. The careers of regular serving officers will be managed in a way which balances service within and outside the UKSF group, to the mutual benefit of the individual, UKSF and the parent service.
	Members of UKSF may be returned to their parent corps at any time should they be found unsuitable for further service or should they wish to do so at their own request.
	Volunteers for the SBS and SAS, who must have completed two years adult military service, may apply from any part of the regular armed forces, as may reservists serving with one of the UKSF reserve units. Applicants from overseas are also eligible in certain circumstances. There are no plans to expand the recruiting base.

Sea Harriers

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what savings will be made from the withdrawal of the Sea Harrier force from service.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 February 2002, Official Report, columns 1451–52W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Dr. Palmer). The withdrawal of the Sea Harrier force from service is one part of the new investment strategy for Joint Force harrier. The upgrade of the Harrier GR force will see the enhancement of our expeditionary offensive air capability, in particular from the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers. This is a capability driven initiative and provides for a smooth transition to the Future Joint Combat Aircraft. Savings will occur in not having to provide for modifications to address obsolescence, in streamlined training and basing and personnel efficiencies. Full advantage of this has been taken in construction of the forward programme.

Afghanistan

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which nations have contributed forces to (a) Operation Enduring Freedom and (b) ISAF; how many troops each of these nations has contributed; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: Operation Enduring Freedom is being co-ordinated by the US Central Command in Tampa, Florida. The latest figures available are from 27 February, when, in addition to the US, there were 68 nations supporting the global war on terrorism, 17 of which had deployed more than 17,000 troops to the US Central Command's area of responsibility.
	The list of nations contributing to International Security Assistance Force, with their individual contributions as at 15 April, is in the table.
	The long list of nations involved in these offensive and security assistance activities illustrates the breadth of support for the international coalition against terrorism. It is vital that all these nations continue their support to deal with the significant threat which remains from Al Qaeda and the Taliban, and to help the Afghans as they begin the rebuilding of their country.
	
		
			 Nation Total 
		
		
			 Austria 74 
			 Bulgaria 32 
			 Czech Republic 5 
			 Denmark 40 
			 Finland 34 
			 France 452 
			 Germany 1,013 
			 Greece 123 
			 Italy 357 
			 Netherlands 220 
			 Norway 22 
			 New Zealand 7 
			 Poland 8 
			 Romania 46 
			 Spain 350 
			 Sweden 40 
			 Turkey 264 
			 United Kingdom 1,327 
			 United States 38 
			  
			 Total 4,452

Afghanistan

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what heavy lift aircraft (a) have been used in the deployment of British troops for ISAF and (b) are being used to deploy 45 Commando to Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: C-17, Tristar and C-130 aircraft have been used to deploy United Kingdom personnel and equipment to Afghanistan. Chartered An-124s have also been used for deploying equipment.

Afghanistan

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops involved in ISAF will be reallocated to Operation Enduring Freedom; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: None. We have drawn a distinction between those troops involved in security assistance activities in Kabul and those troops who are currently deploying for offensive operations to play their part in the task of rooting out al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants.

Deployments

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces are deployed abroad on operations; and where.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 26 March 2002
	The numbers and locations of armed forces personnel deployed on military tasks overseas, including operations, are shown in the table. The figures do not include personnel preparing for, or recovering from, operations.
	
		
			 Location Royal Navy Army RAF 
		
		
			 Gibraltar 16 62 104 
			 Cyprus — 2,385 1,184 
			 Balkans — 3,823 233 
			 Rest of Europe — 2 252 
			 Falkland Islands 141 402 704 
			 Middle East and Gulf 1,182 38 1,895 
			 Asia and Far East 241 2,724 12 
			 Africa 258 368 8 
			 Caribbean 336 — — 
			 North America — — 15 
			 Other 573 54 2 
			 
			 Total 2,747 9,858 4,409 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The Royal Navy figures are as at 26 March 2002.
	2. The Army figures are as at 21 March 2002.
	3. The RAF figures are as at 1 March 2002.
	In addition, some 1,145 Royal Marines personnel were deployed on military tasks at various overseas locations, including Afghanistan and the Gulf.

HMS Intrepid

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the disposal of HMS Intrepid.

Adam Ingram: HMS Intrepid will be disposed of by sale either to the commercial market or to another acceptable Government if one can be found.

Pilots

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) establishment and (b) strength of pilots is for (i) Tornado F3, (ii) Tornado GR1/4, (iii) Harrier GR7 and (iv) Jaguar.

Adam Ingram: The position at 1 April 2002 is set out in the table.
	
		
			 Force Established flying posts(3) Strength 
		
		
			 Tornado F3 116 108 
			 Tornado GR1/4 134 122 
			 Harrier GR7 67 63 
			 Jaguar 60 55 
		
	
	(3) Comprises wing commander, squadron leader and junior officer posts on front line squadrons, operational conversion units, operational evaluation units and wing appointments. In addition to the established flying posts on the specified aircraft type, fast jet pilots are required for instructional duties within the RAF's flying training system, overseas exchange posts, the RAF Aerobatic Team and a number of ground duties shared by all General Duties Branches.

Defence Evaluation and Research Agency

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North Essex, of 25 March 2002, Official Report, column 562W, if he will list the 19 industry respondees to the DERA PPP consultation process; how many of them were supportive of the PPP and how many opposed; and how many of them were proposing an alternative structure to the PPP.

Lewis Moonie: The consultation document published in spring 2000 resulted from wide ranging discussions with stakeholders and an initial public consultation exercise. As identified in the previous answer referred to by the hon. Member, 19 industry responses were received from the following companies, trade associations and professional bodies:
	GKN
	WS Atkins
	BAE Systems
	Thesauras
	Rolls Royce
	HVR Consulting Services
	Alvis
	Raytheon
	Society of British Aerospace Companies
	UK Industrial Space Committee
	Federation of the Electronics Industry
	Defence Issues Working Group
	Defence Manufacturers Association
	Association of Independent Research and Technology Organisations
	British Naval Equipment Association
	CSSA Defence Group
	Foresight Defence
	Aerospace and Systems Panel
	CBI (two responses).
	It is not appropriate to publish details of the individual responses, as they were not provided on the basis that they would be placed in the public domain. The main points have been summarised and are generally supportive, although most requested further information on the process. Consequently the Ministry of Defence has had continuous discussions with industry throughout implementation, including regular meetings with the National Defence Industries Council.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Gibraltar

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on discussions held with EU member states over Gibraltar at the Barcelona summit.

Peter Hain: Barcelona welcomed the relaunch of the Brussels Process, underlined the support for the efforts of the British and Spanish Governments to conclude a comprehensive agreement before the summer; and invited the European Commission to explore ways in which the EU could underpin any agreement reached.

Iraq

Eric Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the US Administration about Iraq.

Ben Bradshaw: The most recent discussions on Iraq took place between my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and President Bush in Crawford, Texas. We are putting all our diplomatic energy into securing Iraqi compliance with UN resolutions—but are considering all options to ensure Iraq cannot threaten its people or neighbours. We will proceed patiently and prudently, in consultation with our allies.

Iraq

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent discussions he has had with his partners in the international coalition against terrorism about Iraq.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary regularly discusses our concerns about Iraq's support for international terrorism with his partners in the international coalition against terrorism.

Iraq

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Iraq.

Ben Bradshaw: We continue to have serious concerns about Iraq's development of weapons of mass destruction. The international community's most pressing demand is that Iraq allow weapons inspectors to return and finish their work. We intend to consider the way forward in a calm, measured, sensible, but firm way.

Iraq

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Iraq's military intentions; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: As UN weapons inspectors have not been allowed access to Iraq for three years, we do not have detailed knowledge of the Iraqi Government's military intentions. But we do know that Saddam is continuing his chemical and biological weapons programme and is developing the long-range missiles to deliver them. It is important that we remain vigilant about the threat he poses to the region and the wider world.

Iraq

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Iraq's involvement in international terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Iraq has a long-standing record of support for terrorism; this includes support for Palestinian terrorist groups and the activities against Iran of the Iranian terrorist group, the Mujaheddin-e-Khalq (MeK), as well as the assassination of political opponents.

Zimbabwe

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the elections in Zimbabwe and the implications for the new partnership for African development.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary told the House on 14 March that Zimbabweans had plainly been denied their fundamental right to choose by whom they are governed. NEPAD can only work on the basis of co-operation between democratic Governments with full international legitimacy.

Zimbabwe

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further discussions he has had with Commonwealth members about the restoration of democracy in Zimbabwe.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier in the House today to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Wilkinson).

Zimbabwe

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards Zimbabwe remaining within the Commonwealth.

Denis MacShane: On 19 March Zimbabwe was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth for one year. We welcome this.
	We shall be discussing Zimbabwe's future status with Commonwealth partners during the coming 12 months.

Zimbabwe

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Denis MacShane: What has happened in Zimbabwe is a tragedy, imposed on that once prosperous land by Robert Mugabe. Respect for the rule of law and a return to democratic principles and sensible economic policies are the only way back for Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact on bilateral relations with Zimbabwe of the recent elections in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary told the House on 14 March that Zimbabweans had plainly been denied their fundamental right to choose by whom they are governed.
	This leaves UK relations with Zimbabwe's Government at their lowest ebb since that country's independence. But we remain committed to stand by the people of Zimbabwe and will continue our programme of humanitarian assistance.

International Terrorism

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he will take to instruct the UK mission to the United Nations to work for full compliance by member states with their obligation to file a report on terrorist financing and providing safe havens for terrorists.

Denis MacShane: Under the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 States are obliged to submit such reports to the UN's Counter-Terrorism Committee. As of 9 April, 139 of the 189 UN Member States had fulfilled this obligation. As Chair of the Committee, the British Permanent Representative has written twice urging States that have not yet submitted a report to do so.

International Terrorism

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US on measures to prevent international terrorism.

Ben Bradshaw: We have frequent and regular discussions with the US on many aspects of the international campaign against terrorism. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed the campaign with President Bush in Crawford on 7 April.

Delhi Declaration

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the Delhi declaration.

Ben Bradshaw: The New Delhi Declaration, signed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, and the Indian Prime Minister on 6 January 2002, represents a new high-water mark in the strong and vibrant relationship between the UK and India. It identifies many areas of common interest and sets out a road-map for future co-operation, both bilaterally and on the world stage.
	The Declaration is already having an impact. Elements of it were discussed by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and myself in our meetings with our Indian counterparts in the last two months.

Afghanistan

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the contribution of the UK to ensuring political stability in Afghanistan.

Ben Bradshaw: Political stability is crucial to long term stability in Afghanistan. The Government fully support the UN-led political process, as set out in the Bonn Agreement. Its aim is to establish a broadly based, representative and democratic government in Afghanistan. The convening of the Emergency Loya Jirga in June is the next step towards this. The UK has given 500,000 to support the Loya Jirga Commission, who are responsible for arranging the Emergency Loya Jirga.
	We pledged 200 million of reconstruction assistance in January at the Tokyo Donors Conference on Reconstruction. The UK is currently Lead Nation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is playing an important role supporting the Interim Administration to maintain security in and around Kabul.

Afghanistan

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the war in Afghanistan.

Ben Bradshaw: The campaign in Afghanistan is focused on ridding the country of the remnants of al-Qaeda and the Taliban, which still pose a significant threat. At the request of the United States we have deployed 45 Commando to assist with this operation. We are committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can no longer offer a haven to terrorists and will remain engaged until we have finished the task.

Afghanistan

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in the international fight against the drug trade in Afghanistan.

Denis MacShane: The UK has taken the lead in coordinating international efforts to implement sustainable drug control in Afghanistan through the creation of alternative legal livelihoods, the reconstruction of infrastructure and the establishment of effective law enforcement and good governance. We have also been working with the Afghan Interim Administration to implement the decree banning opium production issued by Chairman Karzai on 3 April. We have been encouraging other members of the international community to provide similar support.

Sudan

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Sudan.

Denis MacShane: We remain deeply concerned about the situation in Sudan but believe that 2002 offers a real window of opportunity for peace and that the UK has a major role to play in ensuring that this opportunity is seized. There has been some recent progress, for example in the Nuba mountains where a ceasefire appears to be holding.

Middle East

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report progress on peace initiatives in the middle east.

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to bring Israelis and Palestinians together to promote a peaceful settlement.

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States Administration about influencing the progress towards peace in the middle east.

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the middle east peace process.

Ben Bradshaw: We are gravely concerned by the consequences of the escalation in the middle east in recent weeks. The situation could get even worse unless both sides step back, and start talking. This requires real engagement and intervention by the international community.
	The priority is implementation of UNSCRs 1402 and 1403, a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities and full co-operation by the parties with General Zinni to implement the Tenet security work-plan and the Mitchell Committee recommendations with the aim of resuming negotiations on a political settlement. US Secretary of State Powell is in the region now on a mission to achieve this. It is crucial that both sides work constructively with Colin Powell. As the Prime Minister said in his statement to the House on 10 April, Both sides must realise that violence is not, and never will be the answer. The solution to this crisis will never be reached if it is seen purely as a security or military question. There must be a political process.
	The UK has played a full part in international efforts to bring the violence to an end and resume negotiations. The Prime Minister discussed the situation in the middle east with President Bush in Crawford, Texas. He has also had talks with European Heads of Government and President Mubarak. The Foreign Secretary has been in constant contact with his European counterparts and the US Secretary of State. He also spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Peres on 11 April. Despite the difficulties we have also maintained close contact with the Palestinian Authority primarily through our Consulate-General in Jerusalem. I spoke to the Palestinian Minister for International Planning and Co-operation, Nabil Sha'ath, on 3 April.
	We shall be seeking a UN Security Council Resolution, based on Crown Prince Abdullah's plan, to promote a political process, following US Secretary of State Powell's visit to the region. We stand ready to help with monitoring, of a cease-fire and confidence building measures.
	We have grave concerns about the denial of medical and humanitarian assistance to those in need in the Occupied Territories and about the lack of food, electricity and water. I raised our concerns with the Israeli ambassador on 4 April. We have also been disturbed by the reports of the deaths of innocents in the Jenin refugee camp and the conduct of the IDF. The Foreign Secretary raised these issues with the Israeli Foreign Minister on 11 April. We have urged the Government of Israel to ensure respect for international law by its armed forces and investigate thoroughly all allegations of IDF misconduct.
	The Government will continue to do all it can to help the parties end the violence and resume talks based on UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 1397, and the principle of land for peace. Peace between Israel and the Palestinians will only come through a political process which delivers security for Israel within recognised borders, brings an end to occupation, and allows the emergence of a secure and viable, democratic and peaceful Palestinian state committed to co-existence with Israel, and recognised and respected by Israel.

British Detainees (Cuba)

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation of the British Taliban and al-Qaeda suspects held at Guantanamo Bay.

Ben Bradshaw: We remain in close touch with the US Government about the British detainees in Guantanamo Bay, their status, the legal procedure to which they might be subject and their welfare.
	In response to our approaches, the US Government have given us the assurance that they would treat all UK detainees humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Convention.

EU Enlargement

David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is being provided by the UK to the candidate counties for EU membership.

Peter Hain: Over the last decade we have contributed 350 million through the Know How Fund to provide technical assistance to the central European candidate countries. We now have Action Plans with all 13 candidates with a total budget of 1.8 million in the last financial year. The plans bring together the UK's practical assistance to the candidates across a range of activities involving other Whitehall Departments.
	Since 1998, the UK has won involvement in over 100 Twinning projects, whereby experts are seconded as long-term Pre-Accession Advisers to candidate countries' ministries. This is the third highest number of any member state. The UK was the first member state to win involvement in projects in all 12 negotiating countries.

EU Enlargement

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the enlargement of the European Union.

Peter Hain: Enlargement negotiations are progressing steadily and are on course to meet the timetable agreed at Gothenburg and confirmed at Laekento end negotiations in 2002 with the best-prepared countries, so that they can take part in the European Parliament elections in 2004.
	Currently 10 of the 12 countries in negotiations have opened 29 chapters. Slovenia has closed 26 chapters, Cyprus, Hungary, Estonia, Czech Republic and Lithuania have all closed 24, Slovakia and Latvia have both closed 23, Poland has closed 22 and Malta has closed 21. Bulgaria has opened 27 chapters and closed 14 while Romania has opened 22 and closed nine.

Nice Treaty

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent discussions he has had with his EU colleagues on the ratification of the Nice treaty.

Peter Hain: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs meets his European counterparts regularly. These meetings discuss a range of subjects including the ratification of the treaty of Nice.
	The Bill to enable the UK to ratify the treaty of Nice received Royal Assent on 26 February, and the Government will lodge the instrument of ratification in Rome in the coming months.

China (Human Rights)

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of China in relation to their record on human rights.

Denis MacShane: We regularly raise concerns about the human rights situation in China, including through the six-monthly UK-China Human Rights Dialogue. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised human rights concerns with the Chinese Foreign Minister during his visit to the UK on 1619 January.

Myanmar

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the situation in Myanmar.

Ben Bradshaw: In recent weeks there has been an EU Troika delegation visit to Burma and EU action over forced labour in Burma at the International Labour Organisation. The EU is preparing a resolution on Burma for adoption at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Burma will visit Burma 2224 April.
	I remain gravely concerned about the overall situation in Burma. Although there has been some very modest political progress there in the past 16 months, we need to see early evidence of substantive change if confidence in the political process in Burma is to be maintained.

Iran

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the United States Administration about Iran.

Ben Bradshaw: Iran was among the wide range of issues discussed during my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's visit to Washington on 31 January and 1 February. He also discussed Iran in a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of State in March.

Departmental Underspend

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) capital and (b) revenue underspend in his Department is expected to be in the financial year 200102.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office estimated out-turn figures for 200102 will be published in the Budget Report on 17 April 2002.

Overtime

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on overtime payments for staff in his Department.

Ben Bradshaw: All staff below the Senior Management Structure (equivalent to Senior Civil Service Staff) qualify for overtime or time off in lieu if they are required to work more than their conditioned hours at times of exceptional pressure. We do not encourage staff to work long hours but aim to reward them fairly when they do. All overtime must be approved in advance. Diplomatic Service staff serving overseas are not paid overtime but may be given time off in lieu when they work excessive hours, at management discretion.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the 2002 Departmental report will be published.

Denis MacShane: The FCO's 2002 Departmental Report is due to be published in spring 2002. The date will be announced shortly.

Laos

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions he is taking to improve the conditions of religious minorities in Laos; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Contacts between British Ministers and officials and their Lao counterparts are limited. But we raise concerns about human rights in Laos, including the conditions of religious minorities, when such meetings take place. When the Lao Deputy Foreign Minister visited the UK in June 2001 the FCO's Asia-Pacific Director told him that the treatment of Lao Christians was a matter of particular concern in the UK. There is no DFID country programme for Laos. But DIFD and the FCO provide some funding aimed at improving the overall quality of life of the Lao people, including religious minorities.

Japan

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Japan's capability for building nuclear weapons.

Ben Bradshaw: Japan is a designated member of the IAEA Board of Governors and is thus recognised as being one of the nations most advanced in civil nuclear technology and applications. Japan is a member of the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as a non-nuclear weapon state, and it is thus treaty-bound not to pursue nuclear weapons programmes. Japan's constitution prohibits the development and use of nuclear weapons. It is active in the fields of nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament.

COREPER

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms he uses for providing advanced notice to hon. Members of agenda items for COREPER meetings.

Peter Hain: Provisional agendas for COREPER meetings are posted on the Council of the European Union website http://register.consilium.eu.int.

Smart Card Technology

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in his Department and in the areas for which it is responsible; and what discussions he has had with private companies about the use of smart card technology within his Department.

Denis MacShane: Smart card technology is not in use within the FCO at home or overseas. This is a technology being tracked for potential business benefit within the FCO, and informal discussions have been held with a number of technology companies.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Bills introduced by her Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans she has for the future use of such clauses.

Kim Howells: The Department has introduced five bills in the last five years (National Heritage Act 1997, National Lottery Act 1998, Royal Parks (Trading) Act 2000, Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Act 2000 and the Culture and Recreation Bill introduced in 2001). None of these contained any sunset clauses. Decisions on the future use of such clauses will be made on a case-by-case basis and will be communicated to the House in the usual way.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the 2002 departmental report will be published.

Kim Howells: The departmental report for 2002 will be published by the end of May.

New Deal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people employed by the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible under the new deal for young people in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseekers allowance or other benefits.

Kim Howells: This information is not held by the Department and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Overtime Payments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is on overtime payments for staff in her Department.

Kim Howells: Overtime in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport can be authorised for staff working in excess of their conditioned hours. This is in line with the Civil Service Management Code. Conditions and rates are published internally and depend on grade and the hours worked.

Yeoman Warders

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy to include the Yeoman Warders, extraordinary bodyguard of the Sovereign, in the group eligible for award of the Queen's Golden Jubilee medal; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The services receiving the commemorative medal are the armed forces and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and the 999 emergency services. Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London do not fall within these categories and are therefore ineligible for the medal.

Museum of Science and Industry

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received concerning the funding at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

Kim Howells: My Department has recently received representations about funding for an exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester to showcase the objects used in the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth games in July. I am pleased that my Department has been able to provide financial support to enable this exhibition to take place.

Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to assist the domestic tourism market to become more competitive.

Kim Howells: The Government are committed to improving the competitiveness of the domestic tourism market through an agenda of modernisation and long term strategic reform. The Government are working closely with key industry partners to achieve more consistent high standards and better value for money across the tourism industry.
	Modernisation and reform will focus on raising the quality of the domestic product; improving skills and training; increasing the quality and quantity of tourism data and research; promoting the development of e-tourism; and providing stronger co-ordination of the promotion and marketing of England's tourist assets.
	Baseline funding for English tourism will rise from 10 million in 200102 to 12 million this year and campaigns such as Your Countryside, You're Welcome will also support our tourism industry during 2002.

Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to assist the tourism industry in Essex.

Kim Howells: The Government are committed to the modernisation and reform of the tourism industry and this will have a beneficial effect on tourism across the country, including Essex.
	The East of England Tourist Board (EETB) received funding of 550,400 in 200102 to support tourism in the region. The figure for 200203 has yet to be agreed. During 200102 the EETB also received additional funding of 425,000 from the East of England Development Agency and 180,000 from the English Tourism Council in response to the foot and mouth outbreak.
	Furthermore, Essex county council will be spending 100,000 this year promoting Essex as a tourism destination and has recently collaborated with both the Countryside Agency, and Tastes of Anglia, to provide support for a spring campaign this year. The tourism industry in Essex also benefits from national tourism strategies, such as the Your Countryside, You're Welcome campaign, aimed at attracting visitors back to the English countryside.

Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of United Kingdom jobs are dependent on the tourism industry.

Kim Howells: The latest figure available for tourism- related industries is 2.1 million (September 2001). This equates to 7 per cent. of all employment in Great Britain. We do not have estimates for UK employment because Northern Ireland do their employment surveys separately.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what have been the total salary costs of each of the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible in each of the last five years.

Kim Howells: This information can be found in each non-departmental public body's annual accounts. Copies of which are available from the Library of the House.

European City of Culture 2008

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will announce Britain's choice for European City of Culture 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: It is hoped that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will, in consultation with colleagues and the devolved administrations, make her recommendation to the Prime Minister towards the end of Spring 2003 having considered a report by an independent advisory panel. The Prime Minister will then make a nomination to the European Union. The European Union will ratify the United Kingdom's nomination during 2004.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason members of the PSNI are deployed in Kosovo; and when it is planned to return them to police duties in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO), through the NIO, sought, as part of a UK wide contribution, a commitment by the RUC to the UN Mission in Kosovo. PSNI officers are deployed in Kosovo to assist in the restoration of normality, and law and order, by maintaining civil laws and orders, advising and assisting the Kosovo force in maintenance of public security and order and protecting and promoting human rights.
	The current deployment of PSNI officers are due to complete their attachment in either May or November 2002.
	There are no plans at present to discontinue PSNI deployments to UN peacekeeping missions.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what proportion of employees of the PSNI were off sick on average on each day in the last month for which figures are available; and how many and what proportion of those were (a) absent on self-certification or without authorisation, (b) on sick leave of less than a week, (c) on sick leave of more than one week and less than one month, (d) on sick leave of more than one month and (e) on leave as a result of injuries sustained while on duty.

Jane Kennedy: The following table details the average sickness figures for the month of February 2002 for police officers and civilian support staff of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
	
		
			 February 2002 Police officers Support staff 
		
		
			 Average total staff 9,445 3,439 
			 Average of total number on sick absence 1,032 258 
			 Average total percentage on sick absence 10.93 7.51 
			 Average number 16 days (4)145 (5)42 
			 Average percentage sick 16 days 14.05 16.28 
			 Average number 727 days 184 63 
			 Average percentage 727 days 17.83 24.42 
			 Average number sick greater than 27 days 703 153 
			 Average percentage sick greater than 27 days 68.12 59.30 
			 Average number sick per injury on duty 318 3 
			 Average percentage sick per injury on duty 30.81 1.16 
		
	
	(4) Includes 85 self certified
	(5) Includes 31 self certified

Carryduff Police Station

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many calls were received at Carryduff police station from members of the public in the last three years; and how many responses there were to them over the same period.

Jane Kennedy: The Chief Constable has advised me that it is not possible to answer the aspect of how many calls were received as there is a central telephone switchboard in the Greater Belfast area to which members of the public would seek assistance in the first instance, i.e. 02890 650222.
	Similarly, emergency telephone calls to the 999 system again go to a central control room. While Carryduff police station does have a number of its own, statistics are not collated as to how many calls are made to it.
	The number of incidents receiving a response from Carryduff police station are as follows.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999 4,298 
			 2000 4,506 
			 2001 4,494

Child Abuse (Cross-Border Policing)

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cross-border policing, with particular reference to child abusers.

Jane Kennedy: The operational CARE units within the PSNI liaise closely with their counterparts in the Sexual Offences Unit in Dublin and with the various Garda Commanders along the border. The risks posed by sex offenders, when being assessed by the Multi-Agency Sex Offender Risk Management Groups in Northern Ireland, take cognisance of those who have moved from the Republic of Ireland into the NI jurisdiction and indeed invite representation both from the Probation in NI and the Garda. The Intelligence Bureau, PSNI, is working on protocols for information sharing on a variety of subjects including child sex offenders and child abusers.
	Last year the PSNI organised a conference in Belfast on the subject of cross-border information and intelligence sharing about sex offenders and child abusers. The conference was attended by representatives of the Department of Justice in the ROI, the Scottish Prison Service, the NI Prison Service, PSNI, and the NIO. The conference provided an opportunity for networking that has continued post conference.

999 Emergency Calls

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what circumstances 999 emergency calls may be diverted to police stations in England, Wales and Scotland; what assessment he has made of the PSNI's response to emergency calls originating in North Belfast on 24 December 2001; and what steps have been taken to ensure year-round response readiness.

Jane Kennedy: All 999 calls to the police made by the public are initially answered at BT or Cable and Wireless emergency call centres in Great Britain. Those 999 calls for PSNI are passed to Belfast Regional Control or rural control rooms. The PSNI do not pass calls to police stations on the mainland.
	With regard to 24 December 2001, which was a normal working day for PSNI, normal policing levels were maintained within North Belfast District Command Unit throughout the whole day. The list of 999 calls received at Belfast Regional Control has been examined and the police response on each occasion was found to be timely and accurate.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Staff Numbers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff there were in the House of Commons broken down by (a) salary grade, (b) ethnic background and (c) sex in each of the last five years.

Archy Kirkwood: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Commission currently employs 1,717 individual members of staff (including part timers). Of these, 1,446over 84 per cent.have completed monitoring forms. The tables show the figures for each category of staff, broken down by pay band, ethnic background and sex. The figures are for individual staff in post as at 31 March in each year.
	
		Ethnic monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 2002
		
			 Pay band White Asian/ Other Black Not stated 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 76 (6) (6) 5 
			 A 161 (6) (6) 18 
			 B 251 6 5 39 
			 C 239 13 8 32 
			 D 265 10 19 99 
			 E 38 5 23 11 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 173 25 70 53 
			 Works Pay Group 46 (6) 5 14 
		
	
	
		Gender monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 2002
		
			 Pay band Male Female 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 68 15 
			 A 93 88 
			 B 159 142 
			 C 129 163 
			 D 198 195 
			 E 10 67 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 185 136 
			 Works Pay Group 69 (6) 
		
	
	
		Ethnic monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 2001
		
			 Pay band White Asian/ Other Black Not stated 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 78 (6) (6) 2 
			 A 165 (6) (6) 6 
			 B 259 7 (6) 23 
			 C 247 13 7 26 
			 D 261 12 16 52 
			 E 40 5 19 6 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 180 23 74 48 
			 Works Pay Group 46 (6) 5 15 
		
	
	
		Gender monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 2001
		
			 Pay band Male  Female 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 67 15 
			 A 91 82 
			 B 158 135 
			 C 136 157 
			 D 172 169 
			 E 10 60 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 187 138 
			 Works Pay Group 70 (6) 
		
	
	
		Ethnic monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 2000
		
			 Pay band White Asian/ Other Black Not stated 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 78 (6) (6) 3 
			 A 169 (6) (6) 7 
			 B 257 8 (6) 21 
			 C 244 11 7 17 
			 D 252 11 12 54 
			 E 39 (6) 18 5 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 141 16 60 60 
			 Works Pay Group 48 (6) 5 16 
		
	
	
		Gender monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 2000
		
			 Pay band Male Female 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 67 16 
			 A 96 82 
			 B 153 137 
			 C 126 153 
			 D 160 169 
			 E 7 57 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 153 124 
			 Works Pay Group 73 (6) 
		
	
	
		Ethnic monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 1999
		
			 Pay band White Asian/ Other Black Not stated 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 80 (6) (6) 3 
			 A 169 (6) (6) 6 
			 B 259 7 (6) 19 
			 C 243 10 8 20 
			 D 221 8 12 63 
			 E 43 (6) 17 6 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 144 18 56 72 
			 Works Pay Group 53 5 5 16 
		
	
	
		Gender monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 1999
		
			 Pay band Male Female 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 69 16 
			 A 91 85 
			 B 152 137 
			 C 120 161 
			 D 147 157 
			 E 11 57 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 159 131 
			 Works Pay Group 79 (6) 
		
	
	
		Ethnic monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 1998
		
			 Pay band White Asian/ Other Black Not stated 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 80 (6) (6) 4 
			 A 167 (6) (6) 5 
			 B 249 8 (6) 20 
			 C 238 9 7 20 
			 D 204 15 11 51 
			 E 50 9 16 13 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 144 6 52 73 
			 Works Pay Group 61 (6) 6 17 
		
	
	
		Gender monitoring by pay band as at 31 March 1998
		
			 Pay band  Male Female 
		
		
			 Senior Commons Service 71 15 
			 A 89 84 
			 B 152 128 
			 C 122 152 
			 D 21 132 
			 E 71 60 
			 Refreshment Pay Group 155 129 
			 Works Pay Group 88 (6) 
		
	
	(6) Indicates numbers of fewer than five in a particular category; in such cases, detailed figures are not given to prevent individuals being readily identified.

Staff Development

Barry Sheerman: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to ensure that the House of Commons becomes a model employer in providing skills training and retraining for staff;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure that all members of staff's skills and skill needs are professionally assessed on an annual basis.

Archy Kirkwood: Until recently, the House had a departmental approach to training, with limited House- wide provision. Following the Braithwaite Report on Management and Services (HC745 of Session 199899), and in the context of the plans for House-wide accreditation as an Investor in People, there is now a more structured and planned approach to House-wide staff development. This links training and development priorities to the aims of the House administration and supports managers in their responsibilities for the continuous development and training of their staff.
	Departmental training officers meet regularly to discuss priorities and to help develop and maintain the right mix of House-wide training and development. Individual, team and broader training needs for all staff are assessed as part of the annual performance appraisal process, and through House-wide awareness-raising initiatives (for example on equal opportunities). Personal development plans are reviewed and updated regularly.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Government Vehicles

Norman Lamb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many vehicles are owned by the Government;
	(2)  what proportion of Government-owned vehicles use (a) liquid petroleum gas, (b) electricity, (c) compressed natural gas, (d) diesel, (e) unleaded petrol and (f) leaded petrol.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cotswold (Mr. Clifton-Brown) on 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 824W.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he plans to review the operation of regulatory impact assessments.

Christopher Leslie: The Public Accounts Committee published a report on 12 April 2002 'Better Regulation: Making Good Use of Regulatory Impact Assessments' on the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General reviewing the regulatory impact assessment process. The Government welcome the Committee of Public Accounts report. It makes some helpful recommendations that echo many of the National Audit Office's findings and the Government will give full consideration to them.

Panel for Regulatory Accountability

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the remit of the Panel for Regulatory Accountability is; who serves on it; and at what intervals it meets.

Christopher Leslie: The remit of the Ministerial Panel on Regulatory Accountability is to take a strategic overview of the regulatory system; to tackle instances where progress on regulatory reform is blocked; and to call Ministers to account for new regulation and their performance in addressing the burden of existing regulation.
	Ministers serving on the committee are the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (chair), the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office. Mr. David Arculus, the chairman of the Better Regulation Task Force, and Mr. William Sargent, chairman of the Small Business Council are also invited to attend. The membership and terms of reference are available in the Library of the House. Details are also published on the Cabinet Office website.
	Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committee business is not disclosed under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Government Services

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action the Government's e-envoy is taking to ensure that all Government on-line services are accessible through simple touch-screen terminals in strategic locations.

Christopher Leslie: The concept of delivering public services on multiple platforms is a key part of the Government's strategy. The Office of the e-Envoy is working to spread best practice on the delivery of electronic services through a wide range of channels including the web, digital television, mobile communications, kiosks and touch screen terminals. Best practice guidance on these is being worked up by the Channels Policy Working Group into a channels framework, which will be promulgated throughout the public sector.
	The Office of the e-Envoy and the DTI are also working closely with the Post Office in the definition of a potential service whereby UK online content can be provided through kiosks located in post offices, making appropriate services available electronically to those members of the public who prefer to use a convenient terminal.

Television Licences

Tim Yeo: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the (a) number and (b) total cost of television licences paid for by his Department.

Christopher Leslie: The Cabinet Office holds a multiple form licence covering its core central London buildings and a concessionary licence covering a large number of televisions located, at the Centre for Management and Policy Studies' Residential Training Centre in Sunningdale (Berkshire) . The cost of these two television licences amounted to 6,867 in 200102.
	In addition 16 individual television licences are held by other parts of the Cabinet Office at a cost in 200102 of 1,717.

WALES

Job Advertisements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the job advertisements placed by his Department in the last 12 months specifying where the advertisements were placed and the cost in each case.

Paul Murphy: None.

Smart Card Technology

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in his Department and in the areas for which it is responsible; and what discussions he has had with private companies about the use of smart card technology within his Department.

Paul Murphy: My Department delivers no services direct to the public and has a staff of less than 50 people. There is thus only limited potential for benefiting from smart card technology.

Legal Costs

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what legal costs have been incurred by his Department in each of the last four years.

Paul Murphy: The external costs of the former Welsh Office were 568,000 in 199899 and 55,000 in the first quarter of 19992000.
	Since it came into existence in July 1999, the Wales Office has not separately distinguished legal costs.

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses.

Paul Murphy: None.

Departmental Name Change

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total cost was of rebranding his Department following its name change after devolution.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office spent 2,728 on the design for a logo and associated artwork after its creation as a new Department after devolution.

Jobs

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide a breakdown by industry of (a) jobs created and (b) job losses in Wales in each of the past five years.

Paul Murphy: There is no authoritative record of job losses and gains. Labour Force Survey information about changes in overall employment in Wales, by industry over the past five years, is given in the table as follows.
	
		
			   All industries Agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing Mining and quarrying, electricity, gas and water supply Manufacturing Construction Service industries Other industries 
		
		
			  Change on previous year 
			 2000 14,000 -3,000 -1,000 -25,000 5,000 20,000 18,000 
			 1999 18,000 -3,000 -1,000 -5,000 6,000 9,000 9,000 
			 1998 2,000 -1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 -23,000 24,000 
			 1997 6,000 4,000 1,000 -11,000 5,000 5,000 1,000 
			 1996 21,000 -5,000 -5,000 -2,000 2,000 31,000 1,000 
		
	
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey, four quarter averages. Figures rounded to nearest 1,000.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the 2002 Departmental report will be published.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 15 April 2002, by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Andrew Smith).

Sidex

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he received from other Ministers requests for advice in connection with the attempted acquisition of Sidex by the LNM Group.

Paul Murphy: Consistent with the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information exemption on internal discussion and advice, which aims to preserve the unbiased nature of civil service advice and, where appropriate, to ensure commercial confidentiality, it would not be appropriate to disclose the information requested.

Meetings

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many meetings he has had with hon. Members in each of the last 12 months.

Paul Murphy: As a member of the House of Commons and as a member of the Government, on a typical working day I meet many hon. Members in both formal and informal settings. Due to the large numbers of these meetings and their routine nature, no separate record of them is kept.

Press and Public Relations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed in a press or public relations function in his Department on 1 January in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002.

Paul Murphy: Since the establishment of the Wales Office in July 1999. There has been one press secretary, one senior press officer and one assistant information officer employed within my Department.

Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total cost to his Department was of the use of external consultants in each of the last four years.

Paul Murphy: Since its creation in July 1999 my Department has spent some 47,000 on external consultants. It has also made use of property management consultants under a contract held by the National Assembly for Wales.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for shipping services for the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) by comparison with a non- Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the RA Strategic Partnership for the Radiocommunications Agency by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the National Physical Laboratory for the Department of Trade and Industry by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(4)  what estimate she has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Electronic Government through Administrative Re-engineering (ELSAR) for the Department of Trade and Industry by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(5)  what estimate she has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the mining reports and surface drainage system for the Coal Authority by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(6)  what estimate she has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Computer Services for Academic Research (CSAR) for Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Patricia Hewitt: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 20 July 2001, Official Report, columns 60708W.

Rail Journeys (Staff)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 117W, regarding the cost of rail travel by Department staff, how many staff undertook the first class rail journeys in 2001.

Patricia Hewitt: The DTI has devolved to local management the authorisation of travel claims for its staff, subject to checking procedures. It does not record detail of the number of staff undertaking first class rail journeys separately from other data recorded when paying travel expenses paid for staff engaged on departmental business. To provide the information requested would entail disproportionate cost.

Smart Card Technology

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in her Department and in the areas for which it is responsible; and what discussions she has had with private companies about the use of smart card technology within her Department.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department uses smart cards to protect the facilities providing remote access to our corporate computer systems. Some 800 staff currently use smart cards in this way.
	My officials discuss options for the use of smart card technology within the Department periodically with relevant companies, especially those providing us with ICT support.

Parliamentary Questions

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will answer the Questions tabled on 11 March by the hon. Member for Maldon and East Chelmsford, refs 43210, 43211 and 43212.

Patricia Hewitt: I understand that these questions were answered by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office yesterday.

Galileo Programme

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent the UK is supporting the European Union's Galileo satellite programme broken down by Departments' budgets and purpose of funding; what representations about the programme were made from the US and how they were responded to; and if she will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK is supporting the Galileo satellite navigation programme through contributions to the European Space Agency (ESA), which is jointly funding and carrying out the programme with the European Union. For the definition phase (19992000) and some early development work (2001) the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has contributed 7.91 million while my Department has contributed 2.45 million. For the development and validation phase (200205) which was approved in March by the EU Transport Council, negotiations within ESA over member states' contributions are still progressing. Funds for the programme are also being provided from the budget of the European Communities to which the UK contributes.
	The US has expressed concerns about the security implications of Galileo and, in particular, the problems of signal interference and incompatibility, which could arise with its own Global Positioning System (GPS). As we shared these concerns, in our negotiations within the EU we ensured that these were taken into account. The Transport Council decision emphasises the need for Galileo to be interoperable with GPS and that a co-operation agreement between the EU and the US should be negotiated as soon as possible.

Special Advisers

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many special advisers there were in her Department; and what their salaries were in each of the last five years.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 10 April 2002
	There are three special advisers in my Department. For information about salaries I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 11W.

Special Advisers

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times special advisers have accompanied Ministers on overseas visits in each of the last five years; which countries were visited; and what the total cost of each individual visit was.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001 no special advisers in my Department accompanied Ministers on overseas trips. Information for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2000 is already in the public domain. Details of Government Special Adviser travel for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible.

Ministerial Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times Ministers in her Department have travelled abroad at taxpayers' expense since March 2001; what countries they visited; and what the total cost of each visit was.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Minister costing 500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. The 1999 list contained information on all such visits undertaken from 2 May 1997 to 31 April 1999. Details for travel undertaken in the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year.
	All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Regional Development Agencies

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funds have been allocated to regional development agencies; and how those funds will be used.

Alan Johnson: The regional development agencies' budgets for 200203 are as follows:
	
		Regional development agencies' budgets -- 000
		
			  Total(7) 
		
		
			 One North East 184,738 
			 North-west DA 273,927 
			 Yorkshire Forward 185,920 
			 East Midlands DA 100,947 
			 Advantage West Midlands 191,519 
			 East of England DA 76,057 
			 South-east of England DA 100,130 
			 South-west of England DA 93,540 
			 London DA 285,396 
			  
			 Total 1,492,174 
		
	
	(7) Net of receipts
	This funding will be used to support activities in relation to the implementation of the RDAs' regional economic strategies and their statutory purposes which are within their regions to: further economic development and the regeneration of the region; promote business efficiency, investment and competitiveness; promote employment; enhance the development and application of skills; and to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom. From 1 April 2002 the RDA's have a single budget giving them maximum flexibility to meet their regional priorities, within the fiscal framework for public money, removing unnecessary ring fences and unrealistic programme silos which inhibit true integration and innovative cross cutting approaches.

Beagle 2

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding the Government have provided for the Beagle 2 spacecraft; and if she will make a statement on the mission.

Patricia Hewitt: Beagle 2 is the British-led lander that it is planned to deploy from the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiting spacecraft onto the surface of Mars at new year 2004.
	The overall cost of Beagle 2, not including the ground segment and instruments, is approximately 40 million, with non UK-Government contributions coming from ESA, private sponsorship and investment by a consortium of UK firms and universities. The contribution of the Government are as follows:
	Mars Express: 18 million over the period 1998 to 2005 (Department of Trade and Industry and Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, PPARC).
	Beagle 2: The Department of Trade and Industry (including the Office of Science and Technology) has committed up to 18.3 million over the period 2000 to 2003 but this sum may be defrayed by contributions from other partners and investments from the private sector. PPARC has additionally contributed 2.7 million over the period 1998 to 2003 to British universities for the provision of instruments and is currently considering a further contribution of 2.6 million for the ground segment.

TREASURY

Office for National Statistics

John Whittingdale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will list the questionnaire forms sent out to UK businesses by the Office for National Statistics in 2001;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the amount of time taken by business to compile and return information requested by the Office for National Statistics in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. John Whittingdale, dated 16 April 2002
	As national Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions concerning statistical questionnaires sent to businesses by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). (48925, 48927)
	The time taken by business in 2001 to compile and return the information requested by ONS is estimated to be around 617 thousand hours. There were 1.57 million business inquiry forms despatched during this period. I attach below a table showing the periodicity and annual number of forms for each business inquiry conducted by ONS.
	Your third question (48926) asks for the split between (a) UK companies, (b) manufacturing companies and (c) distribution and services companies. To provide this will take a special analysis and a reply will follow.
	
		UK statistical inquiries of businesses carried out by the ONS 2001
		
			  Statistical inquiry  Frequency(8) Number of forms in 2001 compliance year 
		
		
			 Earnings and employment   
			 Wages and Salaries M 99,600 
			 New Earnings A 234,700 
			 Labour Disputes C 287 
			 The Quarterly Inquiry into the number of employees in local government (local authority survey) Q 1,800 
			 Vacancy Rate Inquiry M 62,952 
			
			 Overseas and financial   
			 Unit Trusts Quarterly Return of Transactions Q 328 
			 Unit Trusts Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities A 82 
			 Property Unit Trusts Quarterly Return of Transactions Q 48 
			 Property Unit Trusts Annual Assets and Liabilities A 12 
			 Investment Trusts Quarterly Return of Transactions Q 172 
			 Investment Trusts Annual Return of Liabilities and Assets and Overseas Income and Interest Paid A 43 
			 Monthly Inquiry to Credit Grantors M 290 
			 Security Dealers Quarterly Return of Liabilities and Assets of Transactions in Securities Q 241 
			 Security Dealers Quarterly Return of Income and Expenditure Q 241 
			 Assets Financing Quarterly Return of Assets and Liabilities of Transactions Q 532 
			 Asset Financing Annual Income and Expenditure A 137 
			 Quarterly Inquiry into Insurance Companies: Long Term funds, Income and Expenditure Q 382 
			 Annual Inquiry into Insurance Companies: Long Term Funds, Income and Expenditure A 140 
			 Quarterly Inquiry into Insurance Companies: Long Term Transactions in Financial Assets Q 382 
			 Annual Inquiry into Insurance Companies: Long Term Funds Balance Sheet A 140 
			 Quarterly Inquiry into Pension Funds: Income and Expenditure Q 1,324 
			 Quarterly Inquiry into Pension Funds: Transactions in Financial Assets Q 1,324 
			 Annual Inquiry into Pension Funds: Balance Sheet A 331 
			 Quarterly foreign direct investmentOutward: oil Q 1,497 
			 Quarterly foreign direct investmentOutward: other Q  
			 Quarterly foreign direct investmentInward: oil Q 2,922 
			 Quarterly foreign direct investmentInward: other Q  
			 Annual foreign direct investment: Outward A 786 
			 Annual foreign direct investment: Inward A 1,797 
			 Acquisitions and Mergers C/Q  
			 Domestic acquisitions and mergers C/Q 2,570 
			 Quarterly Inquiry into Companies GB Operating Profits Q 6,510 
			 Quarterly Survey of Financial Assets and Liabilities Q 2,730 
			 Quarterly Inquiry into International Trade and Services Q 2,800 
			 Annual Inquiry into International Trade in Services A 6,180 
			 Merchants Inquiry A 213 
			 Annual Inquiry into International Transactions: Films and Television A 650 
			 Survey of Business Enterprise Research and Development Carried out in the UK A 2,000 
			 Dividends Inquiry including Pilot Q 4,824 
			 ODI Proving AH 738 
			 E-Commerce Transaction of UK Businesses A 9,000 
			 Monthly Inquiry of Internet Service Providers M 1,200 
			 Ship managers(9) A 0 
			
			 Distribution and service sector   
			 GB cinema exhibitors Q 64 
			 Distribution and service sectorMonthly M 957,337 
			 Distribution and service sectorQuarterly (GAPS) Q 27,390 
			 Monthly retail trades inc. monthly self financed credit and monthly retail commodity inquiries(10) M 58,089 
			 Retail trades quarterly commodity Q 280 
			
			 Product prices and sales sector   
			 Producer prices indices M 94,830 
			 PPI Rotation M 3,110 
			 Export price indices M 44,727 
			 Import price indices (inc. import of capital goods) M 22,848 
			 Corporate service sector price indices (inc. CSPI turnover inquiry) Q 18,375 
			 PRODCOM Quarterly Q 13,786 
			 PRODCOM Annual A 23,072 
			 SERVCOM Q 2,017 
			
			 Production sector   
			 Monthly production(10) M 107,968 
			 Motor vehicles production M 381 
			 Engines production M 96 
			 Quarterlyproduction capital expenditure M 96 
			 Quarterlynon-production capital expenditure Q 127,498 
			 Monthly production stocks Q 828 
			 Quarterly production stocks (17) M 29,416 
			 Quarterly construction stocks (16) Q 13,178 
			 Quarterly retailers' stocks Q 17,678 
			 Quarterly wholesalers' and dealers' stocks Q 16,050 
			 Quarterly motor traders' stocks Q 6,637 
			 Business spending on Capital Goods Survey Q 2,499 
			 Capital Stocks Survey A 935 
			
			 Register and proving   
			 Register InquiryAnnual A 30,900 
			 Register InquiryOther A 17,000 
			 Retail prices   
			 Retail Prices Index(11) M 3,478 
			
			 Annual business inquiry   
			 Employment A 75,604 
			 Financial (including purchases) A  
			 Total  1,570,063 
		
	
	(8) AH = ad hoc; A = annual; Q = quarterly; M = monthly; C = continuous; W = weekly; O = other.
	(9) The inquiry was not run in 2001. It will resume in 2002.
	(10) Includes the collection of quarterly employment figures from existing inquiries.
	(11) This covers only businesses that complete ONS forms and excludes forms filled in by local prices collectors employed by ONS.
	Notes:
	1. STSDShort Term and Structural Inquiries Division
	EEDEarnings and Employment Division
	SEDSocio Economic Division
	NEINational Expenditure and Income Division
	OFDOverseas and Financial Division
	CPGIDConsumer Price General Inflators Division
	BDDBusiness Data Division
	STOIDShort Term Outputs and Indicators Division

Capital Gains Tax

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the yield from capital gains tax in each of the years (a) 199697, (b) 199798, (c) 199899, (d) 19992000, (e) 200001, (f) 200102, (g) 200203 (estimated) and (h) 200304 (estimated); and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 6 December 2001, Official Report, column 520W. An estimate for 200304 has not been published.

Smart Card Technology

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in his Department and in the areas for which it is responsible; and what discussions he has had with private companies about the use of smart card technology within his Department.

Ruth Kelly: Smart card technology will be used in the new Treasury building as part of the access control mechanisms, and for cashless purchase of catering and vending services. The technology is being provided by Exchequer Partnership as part of the PFI contract for the new building. There have been no direct discussions between the Treasury and the technology supplier.
	More widely, in March 2002, the Treasury implemented two European directives on electronic money, which bring it within the scope of Financial Services Authority regulation. The directives aim to encourage the development of electronic money, in part through increasing business and consumer confidence in it as a new and developing means of payment.
	The Treasury is also represented on a working group looking at Government policy towards smart card technology, chaired by the Office of the e-Envoy.

Public Sector Pay

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much public sector pay has increased since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: Public sector pay has increased by 17.7 per cent. between 1997 and 2001.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Stockport IR Office for the Inland Revenue by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimate of the total savings to public funds of the Stockport IR Office Private Finance Initiative is 0.2 million Net Present Costs by comparison with the Public Sector Comparator.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the National Insurance Recording Systems for the Inland Revenue by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Dawn Primarolo: The potential savings identified, at the business case stage, of a PFI approach over a traditional procurement for NIRS2, were estimated at 101.7 million. The calculations were based on the traditional procurement approach in place in the Department of Social Security at the time the contract was awarded in April 1995.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Edinburgh IR Office for the Inland Revenue by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimate of the total savings to public funds of the Edinburgh IR Office Private Finance Initiative is 0.5 million Net Present Costs by comparison with the Public Sector Comparator.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Bootle St. John's House (IR) for the Inland Revenue by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimate of the total savings to public funds of the Bootle IR Office Private Finance Initiative is 1.7 million Net Present Costs by comparison with the Public Sector Comparator.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate she has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the CCTA Metropolitan Telecoms Service by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Andrew Smith: The MTS PFI contract was awarded in November 1996 for a 10-year period. At the time of contract award, a detailed comparison of the PFI bid was carried out against a public sector delivery option. That comparison suggested little difference in the overall cost of the two approaches, but the PFI option was chosen as providing greater flexibility and better risk management. This has been borne out in practice as the range of services and number of users has increased over the life of the contract to date.
	Since 1996 the unit costs of service provision through the contract, as with all telecommunications costs, have fallen in comparison with those modelled in the Public Sector Comparator. However the costs in the PSC have not themselves been updated so that a meaningful comparison is not possible.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Glasgow IR Office for the Inland Revenue by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimate of the total savings to public funds of the Glasgow IR Office Private Finance Initiative is 1.3 million Net Present Costs by comparison with the Public Sector Comparator.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Newcastle Estate Development Scheme for the Inland Revenue by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Dawn Primarolo: No public sector comparator was undertaken for this project. Assurance that the Department was achieving value for money was obtained through a competitive tender process. The decision not to undertake a full Public Sector Comparator was consistent with Treasury guidance at that time.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for Manchester IR Office for the Inland Revenue by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimate of the total savings to public funds of the Manchester IR Office Private Finance Initiative is 0.7 million Net Present Costs by comparison with the Public Sector Comparator.

Money Laundering

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) legislation and (b) other measures he is considering in respect of those countries which fail to meet the OECD's deadline for reform in order to comply with anti-money laundering requirements; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Action Task Force has issued a list of countries that have been found not to be compliant with international anti-money laundering standards. In common with other FATF members, the UK has issued an advisory to all UK financial institutions warning them to pay particular attention to all transactions involving natural or legal persons resident or domiciled in listed jurisdictions. The Joint Money Laundering Steering Group, an industry body issuing good practice advice on money laundering, has issued advice that has been agreed with HM Treasury as appendix D to its guidance notes to the financial sector. This advice is available on the internet at www.jmlsg.org.uk. Where FATF has agreed that further countermeasures should be applied because insufficient progress has been made, the Government have issued further advice to the financial sector and more generally. To date, only Nauru has been subject to such additional countermeasures. The measures agreed by FATF are:
	(a) stringent requirements for identifying clients are enhancement of advisories, including jurisdiction-specific financial advisories, to financial institutions for identification of the beneficial owners before business relationships are established with individuals or companies from these countries;
	(b) enhanced relevant reporting mechanisms or systematic reporting of financial transactions on the basis that financial transactions with such countries are more likely to be suspicious;
	(c) in considering requests for approving the establishment in FATF member countries of subsidiaries or branches or representative offices of banks, taking into account the fact that the relevant bank is from an NCCT;
	(d) warning non-financial sector businesses that transactions with entities within the NCCTs might run the risk of money laundering.
	A copy of the further advice on Nauru is also available from the JMLSG and Treasury websites.

Parliamentary Questions

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were involved in each of the last three years in preparing draft answers to written parliamentary questions.

Paul Boateng: A large number of staff in the Departments and agencies responsible to the Chancellor of the Exchequer will have contributed to the drafting of answers to the 10,625 parliamentary questions answered by Treasury Ministers between April 1999 and March 2002. It is not possible to estimate the number of people involved.

Baltic Exchange

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the financial contribution made to the United Kingdom economy by members of the Baltic Exchange.

Ruth Kelly: The Government value the contribution made to the UK economy by the Baltic Exchange and the supporting maritime services that are located in the UK. International Financial Services London (IFSL) have estimated that the Baltic Exchange and its associated ship brokers contributed 327 million to the UK's overseas earnings in 2000.

Aggregates Levy

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from (a) the quarry industry and (b) brick-makers concerning the introduction of the aggregates levy; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: A number of discussions have recently been held at both ministerial and official level with representatives of the aggregates and associated industries throughout the UK about the implementation of the aggregates levy.

Wanless Report

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he received the final Wanless report.

Andrew Smith: Derek Wanless formally submitted his final report to the Chancellor on 15 April.

Wanless Report

Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish Derek Wanless's final report on long-term health trends.

Andrew Smith: The report will be published at 9.30 am on 17 April. Copies will be available in the Vote Office.

Special Advisers

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the number and expected cost to his Department of special advisers in (a) 200102 and (b) 200203.

Ruth Kelly: Figures for 200102 and 200203 are not yet available. There are currently five special advisers appointed under special adviser terms and conditions and in line with the ministerial code.
	These figures do not include the Council of Economic Advisers.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

New Deal

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General how many people have been employed by her Department in each of the last three years under (a) the new deal for young people, (b) the new deal for the over-50s and (c) the new deal for lone parents; and at what cost, listed by category, to public funds.

Harriet Harman: (holding answer 25 March 2002): My own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, has not employed any persons under the new deal schemes during the last three years.
	In the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible, details are as follows:
	Crown Prosecution Service
	In each of the last three years, the CPS has employed two people under the new deal scheme. The recruitment exercises were for the new deal scheme in general and were not specific to any of the categories identified. Both officers were offered a one-year fixed term contract (unsubsidised) as a Level A2 (Administrative Officer), and placed on the band minimum for that level. The posts were advertised through local job centres and, therefore, there were no costs to the Department.
	Treasury Solicitor's Department
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department has not employed any persons under the given new deal categories during the last three years.
	Serious Fraud Office
	The Serious Fraud Office has not employed any persons under the given new deal categories during the last three years.

Human Rights Act

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases have been brought against her Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 25 March 2002
	In relation to my own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, no cases have been brought against the Department under the Human Rights Act 1998.
	In the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible, details are as follows:
	Crown Prosecution Service
	The Crown Prosecution Service does not monitor centrally those cases that include a claim under the Human Rights Act, or collect information centrally in relation to the cost of these cases in terms of legal fees to defend the cases or compensation payments.
	In general, claimants bring actions against the Crown Prosecution Service in two ways: by claiming malicious prosecution and/or negligence.
	Some of these claims refer to the Human Rights Act 1998.
	No records of cases against the Crown Prosecution Service are kept and the Department does not collect separate information centrally about the cost of legal fees and compensation payments in these cases. Treasury Solicitor's Department
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department conducts litigation on behalf of many Government Departments but does not hold central records identifying all cases in which the Human Rights Act is relied upon. In relation to those cases where the Treasury Solicitor's Department is a party to litigation, the position is the same. Human rights are now integrated into the general law and are rarely the sole basis for a legal challenge. In relation to those cases brought against the Department, two have been identified which included human rights points.
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department does not collect separate information centrally about the cost of legal fees or compensation payments in cases which include human rights issues. In most cases it will be difficult to single out associated costs relating to the human rights element of a case.
	Serious Fraud Office
	The Serious Fraud Office knows of no cases where the actions of its members or the use of its statutory powers have been challenged under the Human Rights Act. However, the Act permits Convention points to be raised, either by themselves or together with domestic law, in support of legal argument in criminal proceedings, or in judicial review applications. Obviously, since the implementation of the Act, Convention points have been raised frequently in litigation in SFO cases, principally in support of complaints of unreasonable delay. It is impossible to separate the cost of defending Human Rights Act arguments from prosecution costs generally but neither do we consider that there would be any justifiable case for doing so.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what the target time will be in 200203 for (a) Ministers to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) officials in her Department to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 25 March 2002
	In my own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the target for replies to letters from hon. Members is 15 working days from the date of receipt and 20 working days from the date of receipt to reply to letters from members of the public.
	In the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible, details are as follows:
	Crown Prosecution Service
	In 200203 the target for ministerial replies to letters from hon. Members will be 15 working days from the date of receipt.
	The Crown Prosecution Service has a target for responses to complaints from members of the public. The target for 200203 is to increase to 94 per cent. the proportion of replies to complaints which are made within 10 days.
	Treasury Solicitor's Department
	The Treasury Solicitor, as Chief Executive of the Treasury Solicitor's Department Agency, replies to letters from hon. Members concerning the business of the Agency. She will in 200203 continue to aim to do so substantively within 15 working days of receipt of such letters.
	Only the Bona Vacantia Division of the agency receives appreciable quantities of letters direct from members of the public. It has targets for 200203 of acknowledging letters within five working days of the date of receipt and dispatching, in 80 per cent. of cases, substantive replies within 20 working days of that date.
	Serious Fraud Office
	Under the Citizen's Charter, the SFO has accepted targets for dealing with correspondence and agreed to monitor achievement. These targets are that all correspondence from members of the public should be disposed of within four weeks of receipt and that correspondence from hon. Members should be disposed of within three weeks of receipt. The SFO exceeds these targets in virtually all instances. Most correspondents receive a reply within a single working week.

Saville Inquiry

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Solicitor-General what costs have been incurred by her Department since 23 January in connection with the Saville Inquiry.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 26 March 2002
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department carries out legal work for other Departments, such as the Ministry of Defence, on a full cost recovery basis. While substantial work has been done by the Treasury Solicitor's Department in relation to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, in so far as that work is directly connected with the Inquiry, the cost will be recovered, or has been recovered, from the client Department or Departments represented.
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department has provided representation before the Inquiry for two ex-members of staff. No costs have been incurred in respect of this representation since 23 January 2002.
	The Attorney General and staff at the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers have been involved in one matter relating to the Bloody sunday Inquiry since 23 January 2002 which concerned the scope of the undertaking given to witnesses appearing before the Inquiry. Such advice forms part of the usual work of the Department and the cost cannot be separately assessed.

PSAs

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target for the Treasury Solicitor's Department to achieve a reduction in average unit costs per chargeable hour in Litigation Division in real terms will be met by March.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 9 April 2002
	Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Department's 2002 departmental report.

Press Officers

Simon Burns: To ask the Solicitor-General how many press officers there were in her Department on (a) 1 May 1997 and (b) the latest available date.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 10 April 2002
	My own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, and the Treasury Solicitor's Department, share a single press officer who also acts as Private Secretary to the Attorney General. In relation to those two Departments the answer is (a) one; and (b) one.
	On 1 May 1997 there were 5.5 press officers in the Crown Prosecution Service press office. A Head of Communications post was created later that year. In April 2002 there were four press officers and a Head of Communications.
	On 1 May 1997 the Serious Fraud Office had two press officers. It now has three.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Complaints

George Howarth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints she has received from (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public about the service from her Department for each of the last 36 months; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The records kept centrally by the Lord Chancellor's Department of correspondence received from hon. Members in each of the last 36 months do not distinguish those which are complaints. This information which is available is set out in Table A. More detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The statistics available for complaints by members of the public for each of the last three calendar years, and from 1 April 2001 to 31 December 2001, are set out in Table B. Statistics for the courts as a whole are not held centrally and again could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Hon. Members -- Table A
		
			  199899 19992000 200001 1 April 2001 to 31 December 2001 
		
		
			 Public Trust Office(12) (13) (13) 144  
			 Public Guardianship Office(14)93 
			 Land Registry 39 60 30 19 
			 Public Record Office 0 1 1 0 
		
	
	(12) The Public Trust Office ceased to exist on 31 March 2001.
	(13) Not available.
	(14) The Public Guardianship Office was created on 1 April 2001.
	
		Members of the public -- Table B
		
			   199899 19992000 200001 1 April 2001 to 31 December 2001 
		
		
			 Lord Chancellor's Department HQ (15) 9 6 2 
			 Public Trust Office(16) (15) (15) 344  
			 Public Guardianship Office(17)492 
			 Land Registry 554 799 749 575 
			 Public Record Office 128 80 76 35 
		
	
	(15) Not available.
	(16) The Public Trust Office ceased to exist on 31 March 2001.
	(17) The Public Guardianship Office was created on 1 April 2001.

PRIME MINISTER

Television Licences

Tim Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) number and (b) total cost of television licences paid for by his Department.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office today.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the reasons why he did not publish the dossier on the status of Iraq's weapons programmes.

Tony Blair: We have already placed some evidence concerning Iraq's programmes in the Library of the House. When the time is right, we shall release further material, including the threat posed by the development of weapons of mass destruction.
	The Government believe it important that we should divulge as much information to the public as we can without prejudicing sensitive sources, including intelligence reporting. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on intelligence matters.

Egypt

Tim Collins: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he discussed (a) human rights in Egypt, (b) progress towards democracy in Egypt and (c) the state of social inequality in Egypt with President Mubarak in December 2001;
	(2)  when his meeting with the President of Egypt in December 2001 was arranged;
	(3)  if he discussed (a) UK and (b) EU overseas aid programmes to Egypt during his meeting with President Mubarak in December 2001.

Tony Blair: I discussed a range of issues with President Mubarak at an informal occasion arranged during the course of my family holiday to Egypt.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the Criminal Cases Review Commission reaches its projections for improved performance.

Keith Bradley: The commission's projections are based on performance over a rolling 12-month period, projected forward over the coming 12 months. The table shows the annual case completions since 31 March 1997, when the commission started case working. The commission began by working almost exclusively on the Home Office and Northern Ireland Office transfers. Stage 1 eligibility review was developed during 199798, and the Stage 2 Screen process was introduced in May 1999, following development as a pilot process between August 1998 and April 1999. The Stage 2 Screen has allowed the commission to complete about 1,000 cases in 19992000, 1,100, in 200001 and 1,200 in 200102. The number of cases waiting in trays has been reduced from a maximum of 1,208 cases in May 1999 to about 330 by 31 March 2002.
	
		Case review statistics for 19972002
		
			   Completions Completions(18) Under review In trays 
		
		
			 199798 310 310 217 855 
			 199899 492 802 440 1,177 
			 19992000 1,015 1,817 465 914 
			 200001 1,109 2,926 487 582 
			 200102 (19)1,197 (19)4,123 (19)369 (19)330 
		
	
	(18) Cumulative
	(19) Estimated

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Criminal Cases Review Commission has taken to enhance public confidence in the criminal justice system; and how it measures its progress.

Keith Bradley: The commission publishes an annual report that provides an account of its activities. Since 31 March 2002 will mark completion of the commission's first five years of casework, the 200102 report will summarise the progress made over this period, and highlight some of the most significant case referrals.
	In July 1997, the commission organised a meeting at which a number of stakeholders expressed their views on miscarriages and how to conduct effective case reviews. Another such meeting is being planned for 2003. In addition the chairman and chief executive will be appearing before the Home Affairs Committee on 30 April 2003.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Criminal Cases Review Commission has taken to promote the public's understanding of its role; and how it measures its progress.

Keith Bradley: The commission has taken a number of measures to promote the public's understanding of its role. These include: the revision of its Information Pack in the light of its growing experience; the expansion and monitoring of its website; and the publication of its annual report, which summarises progress and highlights the most significant referrals. It also held a meeting at which a number of stakeholders expressed their views on miscarriages of justice and how to conduct effective case reviews. Another such meeting is planned for next year. The commission has no reliable index of progress to improve public understanding of its role.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the Criminal Cases Review Commission defines a substantial issue for review.

Keith Bradley: Substantial issues are those that require more than five Case Review Manager days of effort.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who the stakeholders are of the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Keith Bradley: Stakeholders include:
	potential applicants and their representatives;
	courts of appeal (as recipients of referrals);
	The Court of Appeal (as a referring body);
	my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) (in relation to Her Majesty's Prerogative of Mercy);
	the Criminal Justice System and its agencies; and
	the Government represented by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Home Department (Mr. Blunkett) and Northern Ireland (Dr. Reid).

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the precise process modifications made by the Criminal Cases Review Commission to achieve its goals.

Keith Bradley: About 30 per cent. of the applications to the Commission are found to be ineligible at Stage 1. During 200102, the Process Improvement Project (PIP) 1 recommended several actions to reduce this proportion, particularly improved communications, and further encouragement to prospective applicants to seek legal advice.
	The time to review cases at Stage 1, Stage 2 Screen and Stages 23 depends on such factors as the availability of files and other materials, timeliness of responses from applicants and their advisers, and delays in obtaining expert reports. PIP 2 has been concerned with minimising these delays. In that regard, the Government announced on 5 March 2001 that a 350,000 joint proposal from the commission and the Court of Appeal (to the Invest to Save scheme) for the electronic transfer of files had been successful. Work is still in progress on this project.
	A goal for 200102 was to minimise the case accumulation at Stage 2 Screen. This will be achieved by 31 March 2002, or soon afterwards, and will be followed by reorganisation of Stage 2 Screen for steady-state operation. In future, some Stage 2 Screen cases will be distributed to case review managers outside the Stage 2 Screen group, to optimise their case portfolios.
	During 200001, the commission implemented a computerised case management information (Vectus) and completed the necessary data migration. Since 1 April 2001, the benefits (of improved case management, with greatly reduced labour in tracking the progress of individual cases and in presenting casework statistics) have begun to flow.

Vectus

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the statistical and performance indicators for casework produced by the Vectus information system in 200102.

Keith Bradley: Currently the Commission uses Vectus to provide monthly statistics on:
	Case Intake
	Case Completions at all Stages
	Cases under review.

Correspondence

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Walthamstow will receive a response to his letters regarding Mr. V. Poci (DEV/7050/929), sent on 25 October 2000 and 14 November 2001.

Angela Eagle: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 15 April 2002. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 30 January from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms Jamila Malik.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 12 April 2002.

Young Offenders

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals aged between (a) 10 and 11 and (b) 12 and 17 years were (i) cautioned and (ii) sentenced for indictable offences in each year since 1997 in each police force area in England and Wales.

Keith Bradley: The information requested, from the Home Office Court Proceedings and Cautions Database, is shown in the table.
	Information on cautions and court proceedings for 2001 will be available in the autumn.
	
		Juveniles cautioned(20) and sentenced for indictable offences, by police force area, 19972000
		
			  Cautioned Sentenced  
			 Police force Age 1011 Age 1217 Age 1011 Age 1217 
		
		
			 1997 
			 Avon and Somerset 64 1,092 3 728 
			 Bedfordshire 67 911 4 366 
			 Cambridgeshire 39 708 1 495 
			 Cheshire 36 1,006 4 805 
			 Cleveland 166 1,447 9 1.026 
			 Cumbria 77 689 5 572 
			 Derbyshire 42 935 4 620 
			 Devon and Cornwall 33 1,478 3 640 
			 Dorset 8 443  237 
			 Durham 51 658 8 877 
			 Essex 102 1,909 10 1.195 
			 Gloucestershire 68 852  363 
			 Greater Manchester 318 4,512 27 3,198 
			 Hampshire 131 2,559 9 1,313 
			 Hertfordshire 36 940  415 
			 Humberside 123 1,265 6 838 
			 Kent 143 2,090 12 1,424 
			 Lancashire 145 1,711 10 1,573 
			 Leicestershire 33 846 5 892 
			 Lincolnshire 51 855  466 
			 London, City of 1 83  4 
			 Merseyside 85 1,944 7 1,578 
			 Metropolitan police 327 9,864 19 5,874 
			 Norfolk 122 1,418 4 486 
			 Northamptonshire 8 250 4 404 
			 Northumbria 501 3,923 26 2,245 
			 North Yorkshire 20 548 1 484 
			 Nottinghamshire 174 1,753 18 1,285 
			 South Yorkshire 91 970 10 1,407 
			 Staffordshire(21) 219 1,606 6 850 
			 Suffolk 46 823 3 441 
			 Surrey 41 900 1 380 
			 Sussex 53 1,696 2 747 
			 Thames Valley 54 1,221 1 1,091 
			 Warwickshire 31 691 10 304 
			 West Mercia 68 1,330 4 687 
			 West Midlands 359 5,030 15 3,573 
			 West Yorkshire 242 2,618 35 2,524 
			 Wiltshire 54 834 1 367 
			  
			 Dyfed Powys 58 794  404 
			 Gwent 101 1,201 5 679 
			 North Wales 50 680 1 463 
			 South Wales 137 2,054 11 1,677 
			 England and Wales 4,575 69,137 304 45,997 
			  
			 1998 
			 Avon and Somerset 66 1,106 1 620 
			 Bedfordshire 55 767 8 386 
			 Cambridgeshire 39 753 1 524 
			 Cheshire 62 1,325 8 881 
			 Cleveland 155 1,134 18 988 
			 Cumbria 77 703 7 590 
			 Derbyshire 53 823 1 650 
			 Devon and Cornwall 37 1,266 2 642 
			 Dorset 27 664  332 
			 Durham 69 581 8 846 
			 Essex 94 1,816 17 1,178 
			 Gloucestershire 35 973 2 299 
			 Greater Manchester 436 5,476 44 3,194 
			 Hampshire 181 2,224 24 1,826 
			 Hertfordshire 45 791 1 401 
			 Humberside 125 1,492 5 922 
			 Kent 197 2,256 21 1,631 
			 Lancashire 126 1,817 23 1,589 
			 Leicestershire 26 957 2 870 
			 Lincolnshire 57 809 3 549 
			 London, City of  57  1 
			 Merseyside 116 2,138 19 1,641 
			 Metropolitan police 680 12,727 23 6,260 
			 Norfolk 55 1,050 5 547 
			 Northamptonshire 8 331 4 601 
			 Northumbria 437 3,443 47 2,819 
			 North Yorkshire 55 755 3 486 
			 Nottinghamshire 197 1,764 13 1,300 
			 South Yorkshire 87 1,137 5 1,336 
			 Staffordshire(21) 206 1,431 7 927 
			 Suffolk 62 870  401 
			 Surrey 48 962 1 367 
			 Sussex 44 1,379 1 789 
			 Thames Valley 58 1,176  1,102 
			 Warwickshire 43 668 1 305 
			 West Mercia 75 1,379 4 755 
			 West Midlands 337 4,592 26 3,869 
			 West Yorkshire 237 2,705 41 2,833 
			 Wiltshire 58 816 1 511 
			  
			 Dyfed Powys 60 857 4 441 
			 Gwent 100 1,292 2 661 
			 North Wales 77 801 4 502 
			 South Wales 119 2,001 14 1,764 
			 England and Wales 5,121 72,064 421 49,136 
			  
			 1999 
			 Avon and Somerset 65 1,245 7 662 
			 Bedfordshire 54 762 8 373 
			 Cambridgeshire 35 626 5 655 
			 Cheshire 58 1,085 7 779 
			 Cleveland 104 937 13 974 
			 Cumbria 61 810 7 620 
			 Derbyshire 43 761 8 671 
			 Devon and Cornwall 53 1,335 5 671 
			 Dorset 30 637 3 387 
			 Durham 46 557 15 1,014 
			 Essex 98 1,434 3 1,107 
			 Gloucestershire 59 793 4 318 
			 Greater Manchester 379 4,381 47 3,419 
			 Hampshire 215 2,513 42 2,100 
			 Hertfordshire 36 846 2 435 
			 Humberside 98 1,139 5 981 
			 Kent 146 2,078 13 1,480 
			 Lancashire 113 1,629 21 1,570 
			 Leicestershire 50 884 3 812 
			 Lincolnshire 28 629 4 525 
			 London, City of 2 59  1 
			 Merseyside 116 1,933 21 1,436 
			 Metropolitan police 543 10,894 56 6,380 
			 Norfolk 58 746 13 578 
			 Northamptonshire 12 337 2 645 
			 Northumbria 358 2,905 50 2,763 
			 North Yorkshire 39 806 5 649 
			 Nottinghamshire 148 1,492 21 1,350 
			 South Yorkshire 125 1,371 25 1,451 
			 Staffordshire(21) 107 1,104 9 792 
			 Suffolk 48 667 7 451 
			 Surrey 40 961 1 362 
			 Sussex 60 1,597 4 705 
			 Thames Valley 86 1,585 9 1,052 
			 Warwickshire 26 558 4 368 
			 West Mercia 58 1,200 15 822 
			 West Midlands 376 3,984 48 3,821 
			 West Yorkshire 264 2,598 50 2,921 
			 Wiltshire 45 841 3 421 
			  
			 Dyfed Powys 72 906 1 399 
			 Gwent 98 1,032 11 660 
			 North Wales 77 834 3 574 
			 South Wales 135 1,661 22 1,793 
			 England and Wales 4,664 65,152 602 49,947 
			  
			 2000 
			 Avon and Somerset 58 1,171 6 761 
			 Bedfordshire 34 582 5 349 
			 Cambridgeshire 44 654 4 550 
			 Cheshire 37 860 5 772 
			 Cleveland 79 769 8 862 
			 Cumbria 44 533 9 551 
			 Derbyshire 64 732 5 674 
			 Devon and Cornwall 135 1,598 9 784 
			 Dorset 36 696 4 341 
			 Durham 47 579 6 915 
			 Essex 99 1,292 4 1,009 
			 Gloucestershire 56 840 1 359 
			 Greater Manchester 275 3,193 55 3,841 
			 Hampshire 204 2,146 38 1,965 
			 Hertfordshire 49 1,101 2 547 
			 Humberside 95 1,026 9 912 
			 Kent 148 2,069 11 1,289 
			 Lancashire 109 1,696 35 1,637 
			 Leicestershire 44 703 10 798 
			 Lincolnshire 38 495 2 452 
			 London, City of  65  2 
			 Merseyside 63 1,182 12 1,508 
			 Metropolitan police 438 8,978 45 6,447 
			 Norfolk 53 1,016 5 432 
			 Northamptonshire 55 736 3 501 
			 Northumbria 353 2,702 49 2,262 
			 North Yorkshire 35 644 6 563 
			 Nottinghamshire 134 1,395 21 1,372 
			 South Yorkshire 77 1,099 25 1,429 
			 Staffordshire(21) 104 1,234   
			 Suffolk 80 940 5 427 
			 Surrey 19 559 5 415 
			 Sussex 83 1,588 7 756 
			 Thames Valley 131 2,334 9 1,221 
			 Warwickshire 30 481 1 300 
			 West Mercia 120 1,275 4 774 
			 West Midlands 264 3,581 53 4,076 
			 West Yorkshire 284 2,662 71 2,460 
			 Wiltshire 74 930 3 444 
			  
			 Dyfed Powys 75 850 2 317 
			 Gwent 76 814 8 643 
			 North Wales 68 666 11 582 
			 South Wales 81 1,478 14 1,640 
			 England and Wales 4,392 59,944 599 48,661 
		
	
	(20) Includes reprimands and final warnings which replaced cautions for juveniles from 1 June 2000, having been piloted in seven police force areas from September 1998.
	(21) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been included in the total only.

Fingerprinting

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the requirement to take Polaroid photographs during fingerprint retrieval at the scene of a crime was introduced.

John Denham: There is no actual requirement to take Polaroid photographs during fingerprint retrieval at the scene of a crime, although it is considered good practice to take a Polaroid or some other photograph as a means of recording the location of any fingerprints found at the scene. Their location can be recorded in the form of a sketch or some other manuscript description. Unfortunately, the information I gave in my answer of 29 November 2001, Official Report, column 1123W, supplied by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in good faith, was inaccurate and I apologise for this error.

Prisons (Wales)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum capacity is for each prison in Wales; and how many prisoners are held in each prison.

Beverley Hughes: On 22 March 2002, the operational capacity and number of prisoners held for each prison in Wales were as shown in the table.
	
		
			 Prison Operational capacity Number of prisoners 
		
		
			 Cardiff 669 667 
			 Parc 968 968 
			 Prescoed 128 116 
			 Swansea 366 344 
			 Usk 220 215

Prisoners (Literacy and Numeracy)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest assessment is of progress on the PSA target to improve literacy and numeracy skills of prisoners discharged from their sentence.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Our most recent data suggest that there will be a shortfall on meeting our Service Delivery Agreement target to achieve 18,000 basic skills qualifications in 200102 by around 10 per cent. Nevertheless, this is still a major increase over the 12,500 basic skills qualifications achieved by prisoners in the previous year, and all of the qualifications achieved in 200102 will be at Level 2.

Female Imprisonment

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department further to his answer of 27 February 2002, Official Report, column 1393W, on female imprisonment, when statistics for 2001 on the number of women appearing before the courts and their subsequent sentences will be made available.

Beverley Hughes: Statistics on court proceedings and sentencing in 2001 will be published by December 2002 in Criminal statistics, England and Wales 2001.

Victims' Charter

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the members of the team preparing the report on the Victims' Charter Consultation; what its terms of reference are; when its work is expected to commence; and when the report will be published.

Keith Bradley: A summary of responses to the consultation process on the Review of the Victims' Charter was placed in the Library and published on the Home Office website in July 2001.
	The Victims' Charter Review Implementation Group first met on 2 October 2001. Its terms of reference are:
	To complete the third stage of the Review of the Victims' Charter by October 2002; including making recommendations on the introduction of rights for victims, a Victims' Ombudsman/Commissioner, the feasibility of a victims' fund and other related policy matters.
	The Victims' Charter Review Implementation Group is made up of representatives of the following Government Departments, organisations and victims' groups:
	Home Office Justice and Victims Unit
	Home Office National Probation Directorate
	Home Office Research and Statistics Unit
	Association of Chief Police Officers
	Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation
	Prison Service
	The Court Service
	Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
	Criminal Cases Review Commission
	Crown Prosecution Service
	Lord Chancellor's Department
	Justices' Clerk's Society
	Magistrates' Association
	Victim Support
	Judiciary.
	The Group's work, and that of its subsidiary Groups working on the Victims' Ombudsman/Commissioner and the inclusion of victims of road traffic incidents within the scope of the Victims' Charter, is well under way. It will be reporting its conclusions later this year, and I expect to make an announcement in the autumn.

Victims' Charter

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the members of the Victims' Charter Implementation Group, and the departments, organisations and victim groups which they represent.

Keith Bradley: The Victims' Charter Review Implementation Group meets quarterly and its membership is comprised of representatives from the following departments, organisations and victims groups:
	Home Office Justice and Victims Unit
	Home Office National Probation Directorate
	Home Office Research and Statistics Unit
	Association of Chief Police Officers
	Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation
	Prison Service
	The Court Service
	Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
	Criminal Cases Review Commission
	Crown Prosecution Service
	Lord Chancellor's Department
	Justices' Clerk's Society
	Magistrates' Association
	Victim Support
	Judiciary.

Money Laundering

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence the SFO provided in answer to Nigerian and Swiss requests for assistance in the case of alleged money laundering using UK financial institutions by the late General Abacha; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: Ordinarily it is practice not to comment on international requests for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters as they concern on-going criminal proceedings. However, the fact of these requests have been acknowledged publicly by the Federal Government of Nigeria and in proceedings before the High Court.
	Four requests for assistance were received from the Swiss authorities relating to criminal investigation of, inter alia, fraud and money laundering allegedly committed in violation of Swiss law. In execution of three of the requests, evidential material was transmitted by the Home Office to the Swiss authorities on 18 October 2001. The remaining request is being processed.
	The request from the Federal Government of Nigeria, which concerns criminal investigations and proceedings relating to allegations of corruption and theft of public funds in Nigeria, is being processed. Prior to a decision of the Divisional Court, handed down on 18 October 2001, a High Court injunction prohibited my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Mr. Blunkett) dealing with the request.
	The Federal Government of Nigeria has indicated through its solicitors that it is pleased with the way in which its request is being dealt with by the Government.

Criminal Justice

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of whether the target percentage improvements in the satisfaction of (a) victims and (b) witnesses with their treatment in the criminal justice system will be met by March.

Keith Bradley: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The 2002 British Crime Survey and the 2002 Witness Satisfaction Survey will determine whether the targets for improvements of victim and witness satisfaction levels have been met. These surveys will be carried out shortly and the results will be available later in the year.
	As an interim indicator, the 2001 British Crime Survey showed that the satisfaction level of victims had remained similar, at 58 per cent., to the result from the 2000 Survey.

Criminal Justice

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the PSA target to increase public confidence in the fairness of the criminal justice system will be measured; and if he expects the target to be met by March.

Keith Bradley: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Public Service Agreement (PSA) target is to promote confidence in the criminal justice system. It will be measured through questions to the public in the British Crime Survey. The target is due to be specified in terms of a percentage increase later this year. The target date is 2004.

Criminal Appeals

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which criminal cases it is possible for the prosecution to appeal against (a) conviction and (b) sentence; and what proposals he has to extend the list of such cases.

Keith Bradley: There are no powers for the prosecution to appeal against conviction.
	At present, under the provisions of Sections 35 and 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 the Attorney-General has power to refer to the Court of Appeal cases where the sentence imposed appears to be unduly lenient. The power applies to sentences passed in the Crown court in relation to all indictable offences and to certain triable either way offences specified in orders made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Mr. Blunkett) under section 35(4) of the 1988 Act. The latter applies to offences of indecent assault, threats to kill, cruelty to children and serious fraud sentenced in the Crown court, including those committed for sentence after conviction in magistrates courts.
	An order extending the Attorney-General's powers in relation to unduly lenient sentences came into effect on 21 August 2000, and applies to sentences passed after that date. This enables the Attorney-General to refer to the Crown court, sentences imposed for offences of illegal trafficking in drugs and pornographic material involving children and offences specifically against children (unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16, inciting a girl under 16 to have incestuous intercourse and indecent conduct towards a young child). The Government will keep under review whether further extensions should be made in future.
	The Government are also committed to reforming the double jeopardy rule for murder cases, which would enable the prosecution to reopen proceedings following an acquittal, in certain circumstances. We are considering the nature and extent of this reform in light of the Law Commission's report, and Sir Robin Auld's review of the criminal courts.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the measurable criteria are for the PSA target to ensure just processes and just and effective outcomes; and if he expects the target to be met by March.

Keith Bradley: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Ensuring just processes and just and effective outcomes is one of the key objectives in the 200102 Criminal Justice Business Plan. It will be measured using the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the rate of re-conviction of all offenders punished by imprisonment or by community supervision by 5 per cent. by 2004 compared to the predicted rate.
	Reducing the rate of re-conviction is one of this Government's key delivery priorities with a delivery plan in place. The delivery strands which will contribute towards the target have been selected on the principles of 'What Works' based on research evidence of effectiveness. The delivery strands are being monitored regularly to assess progress towards achieving this target, which is not due to be met until March 2004.

Drug Traffickers (Assets)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of whether the PSA target to increase by one third the amount of assets identified from drug traffickers and secured will be met by March.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Public Service Agreement (PSA) target was to increase the amount of assets identified from drug traffickers and secured by one third over a three-year period. The target is measured in terms of receipts from the enforcement of confiscation orders in drug trafficking cases. The baseline was receipts of 9.5 million during the 199798 financial year. The milestone objectives that were set were receipts of 10.4 million in year one (199899), 11.5 million in year two (19992000) and 12.6 million in year three (200001).
	The outcomes for years one and two were 10.5 million in 199899 and 9.3 million for 19992000. The outcome for 200001 was 11.75 million, a little short of the PSA target but still representing the largest annual return to date.
	The Government have since set a new target of doubling the amounts recovered from both drug traffickers and other serious criminals, from the 29.4 million recovered in 19992000 in confiscation receipts and cash forfeited under the Drug Trafficking Act 1994 to 60 million by 200405. This is to be achieved through changes in law and practice which the Government are seeking to bring about through the Proceeds of Crime Bill and the related initiatives published in the Asset Recovery Strategy.

Living Without Fear

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if delivery of the action points in Living Without Fear will be completed by the target date.

John Denham: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The great majority of the action points have been completed by the target date, including the funding of 58 projects combating violence against women under the Crime Reduction Programme, the publication in March 2000 of the Multi-Agency Guidance for Addressing Domestic Violence, and the increase of the annual grant to Victim Support to 25 million from April 2001. Police performance indicators have been introduced as part of the development of a consistent approach to the use of data on violence against women.
	A new ministerial group on domestic violence ensures that the agenda for development of work in this area is kept relevant and focused. Five key headline areas of work have emerged as priorities for the group:
	early intervention by health professionals;
	improving the way in which criminal and civil jurisdiction work together in domestic violence cases;
	promotion of safe accommodation choices for women and children fleeing domestic violence;
	education and awareness raising; and
	ensuring an appropriate and consistent police and Crown Prosecution Service response to domestic violence.

Restorative Justice

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress since 1997 on his policy of restorative justice.

Keith Bradley: The Government recognise the potential of restorative justice to offer a constructive response to crime which benefits victims, offenders and the wider community.
	Restorative principles have been at the heart of the recent reforms of the youth justice system. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 introduced a range of new options for juveniles which provide the opportunity for offenders to face up to the consequences of their crime and make reparation for it. The aim is to involve the community and victims in this process if appropriate. The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 developed this approach by introducing referral orders whereby youth offender panels operate as community conferences, involving community volunteers and victims, where possible. They agree contracts with the young offender which encourage reparation to the victim or the community and aim to address the causes of the offending behaviour. Referral orders were rolled out nationally on 1 April 2002.
	In his review of the Criminal Courts of England and Wales, the Lord Justice Auld recommended
	the development and implementation of a national strategy to ensure consistent, appropriate and effective use of restorative justice techniques across England and Wales. The Government are now considering its response to this recommendation.

Animal Tests

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place for monitoring the impact of the inter-departmental concordat on data sharing on the duplication by Government Departments on tests on animals; and if he will make a statement on the impact of the concordat.

Angela Eagle: In August 2000, we announced the inter-departmental concordat on data sharing to enable Government Departments to reduce the duplication of tests on animals. The concordat commits United Kingdom regulatory authorities to help resolve legal and other obstacles and encourage data sharing between clients and thereby reduce animal tests.
	My officials are in contact with the parties to the concordat to review progress. They have been asked how they have put the concordat to use in encouraging companies to share data in the field of regulatory toxicology. We have requested information on ways in which the concordat has achieved its aims within each organisation and are equally keen to hear of any problems there may have been in implementing these aims, or which have slowed progress down, together with suggestions of how these could be overcome.
	The full impact of the concordat will be determined once the review is complete.

Bail Conditions

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to prevent young offenders on bail offending further.

Beverley Hughes: I am today making an order which will bring into force section 130 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 across England and Wales. It will do so on 22 April 2002 in the 10 street-crime initiative areasLondon, Manchester, West Midlands, Merseyside, Thames Valley, Lancashire, Avon and Somerset, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshireand on 16 September 2002 in the rest of the country.
	This section will give new powers to the courts to remand a 12 to 16-year-old into secure detention where they are of the view that the child or young person has a recent history of repeatedly committing imprisonable offences while on bail or in local authority accommodation. In such a case the court must be satisfied that only a secure remand would protect the public from serious harm from him or her, or that only a secure remand would be adequate to prevent the commission of further imprisonable offences by him or her.
	I have also made an order which brings into force sections 131 and 132 of the same Act which allows courts to tag 12 to 16-year-olds while on bail or on remand to local authority accommodation. This will increase the number of options available to the courts for dealing with children and young people who repeatedly offend while on bail as an alternative to custody. It will come into force on 22 April 2002 in the 10 street-crime areas listed above plus Northumbria, and in the rest of the country on 1 June 2002.

Winter Fuel Payments

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men have received a winter fuel payment for each year since the scheme began, broken down by (a) those who also receive another social security benefit and (b) those who do not receive another social security benefit.

Nick Brown: I have been asked to reply.
	A gender breakdown is not available for the first two winters of the scheme, 199798 and 199899. Information is not yet available for winter 200102.
	The information which is available is in the table.
	
		Winter fuel payments -- Thousand
		
			  19992000 200001 
		
		
			 Great Britain 10,112.5 11,123.5 
			 All men (22)3,862.6 4,811.4 
			 Men in receipt of a social security benefit (22)3,862.6 4,194.3 
			 Men not in receipt of a social security benefit (22),(23)Nil 617.0 
		
	
	(22) For the first three winters of the scheme 199798, 199899 and 19992000, only people aged 60 or over in receipt of income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance, or those over pension age in receipt of other qualifying benefits, were entitled to the payment.
	(23) The figures for 19992000 exclude men aged 60 to 64 (and a small number of others) who became eligible for Winter Fuel Payments from 200001 onwards, and who were also able to claim retrospectively for previous years. It is not possible to relate the retrospective payments to specific years.
	Note:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Rural Public Houses

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2002, Official Report, column 764W, what information she collates on rural pubs; and if she will make it available.

Alun Michael: The Countryside Agency collates data on rural pubs through its Rural Services Survey. The last survey undertaken in 2000 collected information on pubs, differentiating between those serving meals and those not serving meals, and between those independently owned and those which are part of a national chain. The headline results by parish and settlement size have been published in the Countryside Agency report entitled Rural Services in 2000.
	The full report is also available on the agency's website along with parish and settlement files (which can be downloaded) currently containing the following information:
	For the 12,289 settlements recorded in the survey, data are available on pubs serving meals and pubs not serving meals.
	For the 6,103 parishes recorded in the survey, data are available on the total number of pubs in the parish.
	The data on public houses can be found on-line at http://www.countryside.gov.uk/ruralservices/pubs.htm.

Correspondence

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Henley of 4 September 2001 (Defra ref. 159940), 28 September 2001 (Defra ref. 160862), 18 July 2001 (Defra ref. 158115), 16 July 2001 (Defra ref. 157925) and 10 July 2001 (Defra ref. 157840); and what the reasons are for the delay in replying.

Elliot Morley: The hon. Member's letter of 4 September 2001 was replied to on 26 January; of 18 July 2001 on 5 February; and of 10 July 2001 on 13 March.
	The letter of 16 July has been transferred to the Department of Health.
	We are unable to trace a copy of the letter of 28 September 2001.
	Hon. Members are aware of the difficulties DEFRA faced last year in processing correspondence, following the foot and mouth disease outbreak, and the creation of the new Department. Steady progress is being made towards eliminating the backlog of cases, and performance on incoming letters has considerably improved. I can assure you that all efforts will continue to be devoted to this area until the problems have been fully resolved.

Correspondence

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter of 14 December 2001 from the hon. Member for Christchurch to the Minister of State on the Biocidal Regulations 2001.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 February 2002
	I am sorry for the long delay in replying to the hon. Member's letter. The Department transferred the hon. Member's correspondence to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on 10 April, as they have responsibility for the Biocidal Regulations.

Correspondence

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors caused the delay between 23 October 2001 and 24 February 2002 in responding to the letter from the hon. Member for Christchurch about refrigerants.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 6 March 2002
	The hon. Member's letter of 23 October was faxed to the Department on 15 January following an inquiry about the length of time the response was taking. There was no trace of the original letter in the Department.

Departmental Establishment

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what is the total establishment of her Department; and how many of these posts relate to functions of the former MAFF.

Elliot Morley: The number of staff in DEFRA and its executive agencies on 1 March 2002 was 13,658 full-time equivalents. The number of staff in MAFF and its executive agencies at the time of the transfer was 11,038 full-time equivalents. Due to reorganisations within the Department, current posts in DEFRA relating to the former MAFF cannot easily be identified and the number of such posts could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Establishment

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many posts with environmental protection responsibilities were transferred to her Department from the former DETR; and how many of those posts have become vacant since the transfer.

Elliot Morley: Approximately 500 posts with environmental protection responsibilities were transferred from the former DETR to DEFRA. Due to reorganisations within the Department, the number of those posts that have become vacant since the transfer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times Ministers in her Department have travelled abroad at taxpayers' expense since March 2001; what countries they visited; and what the total cost of each visit was.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. The 1999 list contained information on all such visits undertaken from 2 May 1997 to 31 April 1999. Details for travel undertaken in the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year.
	All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Smart Card Technology

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in her Department and in the areas for which it is responsible; and what discussions she has had with private companies about the use of smart card technology within her Department.

Alun Michael: DEFRA's e-business strategy does not currently propose the use of smart cards but as smart card technology matures and becomes more pervasive, DEFRA will consider its use as an authentication mechanism for e-business systems. While the Department has not had discussions with private companies about the use of smart cards, DEFRA receives information from the Office of the e-Envoy on this topic and has participated in the OeE's Smart Card Working Party which produced the Smart Card Framework document.

Fair Trade

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 8 January 2002, Official Report, column 736W, on fair trade goods, if she will review and increase the amount of fairly traded goods purchased by her Department during Fair Trade Fortnight.

Elliot Morley: pursuant to the reply, 8 January 2002, c. 736W
	Support for fair trade initiatives both in developing countries and the UK has been given by the Department for International Development. This support forms part of a wider dialogue with the private sector to encourage them to adopt more socially responsible and ethical business practises.
	Within DEFRA, the management of catering is outsourced and the use or promotion of particular goods is not yet a specific requirement under these arrangements though we will look seriously into making this a choice available for staff.

Arthur Andersen

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contracts her Department has had since 1997 with (a) Arthur Andersen and (b) Accenture for (i) accountancy, (ii) audit and (iii) consultancy work; and what staff have been seconded (A) to her Department from and (B) from her Department to these firms.

Elliot Morley: Since DEFRA came into being on 8 June, 2001, the Department has let no contracts with Arthur Andersen or Accenture for accounting, audit and consultancy work. From records held centrally no staff have been seconded to the Department from these firms or from the Department to these firms.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of whether the sickness absence reduction target for 200102 will be met.

Elliot Morley: Following publication, in 1998, of the Cabinet Office report 'Working Well TogetherManaging Attendance in the Public Sector' and the subsequent setting of targets for the reduction of sickness absence in the civil service this Department compiled comprehensive guidance on managing sickness absence which it successfully piloted in selected areas. Those arrangements were ready to be rolled out across the Department, when the outbreak of foot and mouth disease concentrated resources elsewhere.
	Following the creation of the new Department and the ending of the foot and mouth outbreak, work on the new sickness absence management arrangements has been re-started, but as yet no assessment has been made as to whether the sickness absence target for 200102 will be met.
	Responsibility for attendance matters within the Central Science Laboratory Agency (CSL), the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) and the Centre for Environmental Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Agency (CEFAS)all former MAFF agencieshas been delegated to the agency Chief Executives.
	CEFAS has been developing a robust attendance management system incorporating return to work interviews and closer monitoring of short term absences. They are confident they are on track to meet the 2001 target and with the imminent introduction of the new arrangements they should be well placed to monitor absence levels which in turn will provide them with the best opportunity of meeting their 2003 target.
	Responses from CSL and VLA have been included by letter. The Pesticides Safety Directorate, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate Agencies and the Rural Payments Agency are covered by the departmental response.
	Letter from Professor Michael Roberts to Mr. John Bercow, dated April 2002
	I have been asked to reply, in respect of the Central Science Laboratory, to your question regarding an assessment of whether the sickness absence reduction target for 20012002 will be met.
	Following publication, in 1998, of the Cabinet Office report 'Working Well TogetherManaging Attendance in the Public Sector' and the subsequent setting of targets for the reduction of sickness absence in the Civil Service, Central Science Laboratory has been carrying out continuous improvements to the process of managing sickness absence. This includes the employment of an on-site Occupational Health Adviser.
	Work on the new sickness absence management arrangements have now been re-started, following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease which concentrated resources elsewhere, but as yet no assessment has been made as to whether the sickness absence target for 20012001 will be met.
	Letter from Professor Steve Edwards to Mr. John Bercow, dated April 2002
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question on what recent assessment has been made of whether the sickness absence reduction target for 20012002 will be met.
	VLA's approach to managing sickness has been based on a proactive stance in relation to all areas of health surveillance and sickness absence and by providing comprehensive advice and guidance to staff and managers. This is supported by appropriate monitoring systems. We are constantly reviewing procedures in the light of the Cabinet Office report 'Working Well TogetherManaging Attendance in the Public Sector'.
	VLA's sickness absence reduction target will be incorporated into that established for DEFRA. No separate assessment has yet been made as to whether the sickness absence target for 20012002 will be met.

Environmental Protection

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role her Department has played in discussions relating to the Pan- European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: As a member of the Strategy Council, we have participated fully in discussions relating to the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy since its endorsement at the 'Environment for Europe' Ministerial Conference in 1995, and will continue to do so.
	In February officials from my Department attended the 6th meeting of the Strategy Council in Budapest, and the 'Biodiversity in Europe' Intergovernmental Conference which was held under the overall umbrella of the strategy, and which focused on facilitating European regional preparations for the 6th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP6), and strengthening co-operation on biodiversity in Europe.
	The conference reviewed relevant on-going Pan- European processes, identified priorities and made a number of recommendations for action at the regional level. The conference discussed the main items on the CBD/COP6 agenda which were of special European concern, with a view to developing a regional input for the forthcoming negotiations at The Hague. Among the priority topics considered were:
	Forest biological diversity
	Invasive alien species
	Financial resources and mechanisms for biodiversity
	Indicators, monitoring and the clearing house mechanism; and
	Strategic Plan for the CBD and the implementation of the Convention.
	The main messages from Budapest to the global biodiversity community are that European countries are committed to work jointly for attaining common goals of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and that Europe is keen to learn from a wide range of experiences of other regions with a view to enriching the Pan-European biodiversity process, and is ready to share its achievements and innovations with other regions of the world.

Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress with regard to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.

Michael Meacher: The Rotterdam convention was adopted on 10 September 1998. The convention will not come into force until ratified by 50 parties, 20 parties have ratified so far.
	The European Commission adopted a proposal to implement the Rotterdam convention in the EU on 24 January 2002, which is now being discussed by the Environment Council Working Group and the European Parliament. European Community Regulation 2455/92 already implements (compulsorily) a voluntary scheme on trade in certain dangerous chemicals, which the European Commission's recent proposal seeks to amend to implement the convention in the EU. Germany and The Netherlands have implemented national legislation in advance of European Community action. The UK, and the rest of the Community, are also participating in a voluntary interim procedure prior to the convention coming into force.

Energy Policy

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department intends to publish details of new energy efficiency indicators, targets and monitoring mechanisms for each sector of the economy; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Government will be responding to this and other recommendations of the recent performance and innovation unit energy review in a White Paper later in the year, following public consultation. The Government recognise that energy efficiency is an important, and highly cost-effective, way of achieving our climate change goals. It has significant unrealised potential, and the Department will be considering how to enhance its future role. We will produce a domestic energy efficiency strategy, and are working to establish benchmarking, indicators and (where appropriate) targets, for those sectors of the economy which have the most significant impacts on energy efficiency. A review of local authorities' role in energy efficiency is also under way. Some sectors of course already have energy efficiency targets, for example, the Government estate, health and education sectors. The energy efficiency best practice programme (EEBPp) provides authoritative information and guidance on benchmarking and best practice for every sector.

Energy Policy

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to form a negotiated agreement with the finance sector to reduce the cost of financing energy efficiency measures by funding them as part of mortgage offers; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: We will examine the performance and innovation unit's energy review recommendation in the course of preparing our domestic energy efficiency strategy, and for the introduction of the home seller's pack. The objective of this initiative is to make available to potential buyers relevant information about the property. We propose that the seller's pack should include an assessment of the property's energy efficiency performance (a SAP energy rating) and suggestions for improving that performance. It is anticipated that the information will encourage prospective home buyers to take energy efficiency into account in their buying decisions and, following purchase, to act on the suggestions and invest in energy efficiency measures. The ability to fund the measures as part of the mortgage loan would help to maximise the benefits from this initiative.

Energy Policy

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department plans to announce an extension of the energy efficiency commitment from 2005 to 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: We are considering the future of the energy efficiency commitment after 2005: we need to be sure that it remains the best way of delivering substantial savings in the domestic sector. Feedback on the early part of the programme for 2002 to 2005 will also enable us to take account of that experience in making our plans for the future.

Energy Policy

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department plans to undertake a review of low carbon delivery organisations; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The performance and innovation unit (PIU) energy review highlights the number and range of organisations involved in delivering policies and programmes for lowering carbon emissions and promoting energy efficiency. The Government will certainly consider this particular PIU recommendation carefully when responding to the energy review in a White Paper later in the year, following public consultation.

EU Directive 1999/74/EC

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the extent to which EU Directive 1999/74/EC was implemented by 1 January; and what formal action has been taken by the European Commission in respect of this matter by 1 January.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 15 April 2002
	EC Directive 99/74/EC came into force in all member states on 1 January 2002.

Ministerial Conference on the North Sea

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on matters discussed and decisions taken at the ministerial conference on the North sea, held in Bergen, in March; and if she will place in the Library copies of all United Kingdom submissions to the conference and submissions by other Governments and accredited bodies that are relevant to the United Kingdom.

Michael Meacher: The fifth North Sea Conference was held in Bergen, Norway, on 20 and 21 March. I represented the UK and was supported by Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development at the Scottish Executive.
	The Conference received a report on progress made in taking forward the commitments made at the fourth North Sea Conference held in Esbjerg, Denmark, in 1995. The outcome of the fifth North Sea Conference was a declaration for further action to protect the marine environment of the North Sea. It covered establishing an ecosystem approach, the conservation of habitats and species, fisheries, shipping, hazardous substances, eutrophication, offshore installations, radioactive substances, renewable energy, marine litter and waste management, spatial planning and future co-operation.
	The Conference was very successful in producing an agreed declaration which provides a worthwhile step for the further protection of the marine environment. Key initiatives include a commitment to develop and pilot ecological quality objectives to assess progress made towards an ecosystem-based approach, a commitment to designate relevant areas of the North Sea as a network of well-managed marine protected areas by 2010 and the creation of a network of investigators and prosecutors to tackle pollution from shipping. It was also agreed that Sweden would host a Ministerial meeting on the environmental impacts of shipping and fishing by 2006.
	The declaration also contains proposals to work through the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic to develop guidance on offshore wind energy schemes and consider how best to share information on spatial planning for the North Sea. It also endorses further work through OSPAR to tackle pollution from hazardous substances, offshore installations, radioactive substances and the prevention of eutrophication.
	I have placed copies of both the progress report and the declaration in the Library of the House. They are also available at http://www.northseaconference.no.

Refrigerators

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement updating the Government's strategy for stripping CFC foam from fridges and freezers in the UK; and how long it will take to deal with the backlog of appliances.

Michael Meacher: There has been considerable progress. Facilities for treating CFC foams are now coming on-stream in the UK. A mobile plant is already operating and two static plants are due to be operational by the end of June. Additionally, refrigerators from various parts of the UK are being exported to Germany for treatment. Sufficient plant should be in place by the end of the year to ensure that the backlog of fridges does not increase further. Current estimates suggest the backlog of appliances will be dealt with during 2003.

Waterways Access

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of inland waterways are accessible to canoeists (a) freely and (b) on payment of a fee.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department's most recent findings on access to water by canoeists are contained in our research report, Water-Based Sport and Recreation: the facts which was published in December 2001. The researchers did not distinguish between paid and unpaid access where agreements were in place. Canoeists (and other users) have a free right of access to those inland rivers and canals which have public navigation rights.

Waterways Access

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she is taking to improve access to inland waterways for canoeists; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Our research report, Water-based Sport and Recreation: the facts was published in December 2001. The report has aroused a great deal of interest amongst the canoeing community abd I have set out our approach in responses to letters from many hon. and right hon. Members.
	My officials recently met British Waterways, the Countryside Agency, the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environment Agency and Sport England as the other sponsors of the research along with other interested Government Departments to discuss the report's findings which are quite complex. Just before Easter my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) met the hon. Member for Harrow West (Gareth Thomas) and representatives of the British Canoe Union to hear their views. We are considering what action to take in light of the report's findings.

Laying Hens

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she made to the European Union prior to its passing of the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 15 April 2002
	Ministers were directly involved when the proposal was discussed at the Council of Agriculture Ministers and UK officials were fully involved in the negotiations on the Directive.

Laying Hens

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on the cost of egg production in cage-based systems of implementation of Directive 1999/74/EC on the Welfare of Laying Hens; and if she will estimate the change in cost expected in the cage-based system following implementation of Directive 1999/74/EC.

Elliot Morley: A regulatory impact assessment has been produced, following public consultation. It will be published to accompany the Statutory Instrument to implement the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive.

Laying Hens

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to encourage producers to move laying hens out of small cages before the final phase-out date of 2012; and if she will make a statement on her policy in respect of the keeping of birds in modified cages in the long-term.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 15 April 2002
	It is intended that Council Directive 99/74/EC will be implemented in England without being added to in any way. If further changes are proposed, there will be full public consultation.

Beef

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she next intends to meet representatives of the National Beef Association.

Elliot Morley: There are, at present, no specific arrangements for the Secretary of State to meet with the National Beef Association.
	However, I recently met with the Association, on 4 April, to discuss matters regarding TB in cattle.
	My noble Friend (The Lord Whitty) last met directly with the Association on 7 November, in order to discuss the Animal Movement Regime and has accepted an invitation to attend the Association's forthcoming event 'Beef 2002', organised for 24 May.
	Lord Whitty also maintains regular contact with representatives of the Association through attendance at stakeholder meetings and looks forward to continuing dialogue on issues facing the Beef Industry.

Slaughterhouses

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals of each species were slaughtered (a) for human consumption and (b) otherwise than for human consumption (i) at registered low throughput slaughterhouses, (ii) at other registered slaughterhouses and (iii) elsewhere in (A) 2000 and (B) 2001.

Elliot Morley: The information requested is given in the table for Great Britain.
	
		Thousand head 
		
			  Species  
			  Cattle(24) Sheep Pigs(25) Solipeds and Equidae Goats Deer Rabbits 
		
		
			 2000
			  (a) For human consumption 
			 (i) at registered low throughput slaughterhouses 28 190 73 0 1 2 46 
			 (ii) at other registered slaughterhouses 2,036 18,000 11,462 11 7 88 0 
			 (iii) elsewhere (30) (30) 7 (30) (30) (30) (30) 
			 
			  (b) Not for human consumption 
			 (i) at registered low throughput slaughterhouses
			 Rejected at slaughterhouse(26) (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) 
			 (ii) at other registered slaughterhouses
			 Over Thirty Month scheme 841 (30)- (30) (30)- (30) (30) (30) 
			 Rejected at slaughterhouse(26) (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) 
			 (iii) elsewhere(27)
			 Slaughtered due to swine fever (30) (30) 75 (30) (30) (30) (30) 
			 Pig welfare disposal scheme (30) (30) 183 (30) (30) (30) (30) 
			 
			 2001
			  (a) For human consumption 
			 (i) at registered low throughput slaughterhouse 25 200 67 0 1 1 37 
			 (ii) at other registered slaughterhouses 1,746 12,105 9,517 10 10 53 0 
			 (iii) elsewhere (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) 
			 
			  (b) Not for human consumption 
			 (i) at registered low throughput slaughterhouses
			 Rejected at slaughterhouse(26) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 (ii) at other registered slaughterhouses
			 Over Thirty Month scheme 511 (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) (30) 
			 Rejected at slaughterhouse(26) 1 10 22 0 0 0 0 
			 (iii) elsewhere(27)
			 Slaughtered due to FMD 592 3,392 141 (30) 2 1 (30) 
			 Welfare disposal scheme(28),(29) 169 2,107 287 (30) (30) 5 (30) 
		
	
	(24) Including bison.
	(25) Including wild boar.
	(26) Data on animals rejected at the slaughterhouse for human consumption only collected by the Meat Hygiene Service for April 2001 onwards.
	(27) Excludes animals disposed of on farm for which no reliable information is available.
	(28) Includes light lambs.
	(29) Data shown for deer are for deer, goats, llamas and others.
	(30) Not applicable or not available.
	Source:
	Statistics (Commodities and Food) Division, Economics and Statistics Directorate, DEFRA 11 April 2002
	Data on slaughterhouse throughputs provided by the Meat Hygiene Service.
	Data on slaughterings under the Over Thirty Month scheme provided by the Rural Payments Agency

On-farm Burials

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on EU proposals to ban the on-farm burial of livestock from this end of this year.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 10 April 2002
	A new EU Animal By-Products Regulation will tighten the controls on the disposal of animal by-products and ban the routine burial of livestock except in remote areas (the Highlands and Islands of Scotland). Further negotiations between the Council of Ministers, European Parliament and European Commission are still required, but we expect the regulation to come into force in member states between the end of 2002 and mid 2003. We are discussing future arrangements for the disposal of fallen stock with stakeholders.

On-farm Burials

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the number of farms which carry out on-farm burial of livestock.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 10 April 2002
	No such assessment has been made. However, the State Veterinary Service carried out small scale surveys in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The results (which may not be representative) suggested that 17 to 21 per cent. of fallen cattle and 60 to 76 per cent. of fallen sheep and goats were buried on farm.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  in how many contiguous premises slaughter was completed within 48 hours of a clinical diagnosis of the disease during the foot and mouth epidemic;
	(2)  on average how long after clinical diagnosis slaughter was completed on the infected premises during the foot and mouth epidemic.

Elliot Morley: Information regarding the time taken to slaughter on contiguous premises is presented in the two charts, which have been placed in the Library.

Animal Experiments

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government have taken to ban the testing of finished household products on animals.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have not ruled out a ban on the testing of household products. The need for testing household products on animals is something that the Animal Procedures Committee is considering and will advise on later this year as part of its review of the cost/benefit assessment. In the meantime, the Government will continue to work to ensure that animals are only used where there are no alternatives.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Community Care

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of applications for community care grants have been given a priority of medium or high; and how many applications regarded as of high or medium priority have been (a) fully awarded, (b) partially awarded and (c) not awarded in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 15 April 2002
	The available information is in the table.
	
		Community care grant awards by priority
		
			 Year High priority awards Medium priority awards 
		
		
			 199798 229,000 6,000 
			 199899 218,000 7,000 
			 199900 215,000 4,000 
			 200001 223,000 2,000 
		
	
	Source:
	Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	2. Figures are for initial awards only.
	3. Data on the numbers of applications by priority are not held. It is not practical to collect such data as one application could include requests for high, low and medium priority items.
	4. Details of full and partial awards and refusals are not held by priority.

Carers Service

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the work of the new Disability and Carers Service and the arrangements for handling of individual cases in which other services within the Department may also be involved.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 26 March 2002
	The Disability and Carers Service aims to provide a responsive, consistent and reliable service in administering Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Invalid Care Allowance. It is working with other parts of the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that a quality service is available to all customers from April 2002.
	All DWP businesses operate within a single Department and the customer of one should be treated as the customer of all. Any customer who contacts a DWP business outlet that is not focused upon their particular needs, will be helped to find the assistance they need as quickly as possible and with the minimum of inconvenience. This may mean redirecting them and telephoning in advance, or arranging an appointment on their behalf. Comprehensive guidance has been issued to staff setting out the standards of service we expect when the needs of customers span more than one business.

Disability Living Allowance

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families there are with two or more disabled children who are in receipt of disability living allowance in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

Maria Eagle: Disability Living Allowance is awarded to severely disabled people on the basis of their individual care and mobility needs, and information on family circumstances is not collected. At 31 August 2001, about 196,100 children aged under16 were receiving Disability Living Allowance in England, 21,000 in Scotland, and 14,000 in Wales. These figures are based on 5 per cent. data and rounded to the nearest hundred. The Northern Ireland Assembly is responsible for social security matters within Northern Ireland.

Rents

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the Rent Service report indicating that the number of localities would have increased from 400 to 4000 as a result of the Court of Appeal judgment on local reference rents in Stockport delivered on 26 October 2001, referred to in the First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, Official Report, 14 January, column 12.

Malcolm Wicks: We have not received a formal report from the Rent Service. The likely increase in the number of localities was a Rent Service estimate for England.

Housing Benefit

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 729W, how many housing benefit claimants are subject to non-dependent deductions; and what percentage of that number are (a) registered disabled, (b) aged 60 and over, (c) in receipt of income support or JSA and (d) lone parents.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is in the table.
	
		Housing Benefit cases in Great Britain to which non-dependant deductions have been appliedMay 2000
		
			 Cases  
		
		
			 Cases with non-dependant deductions (number) 159,000 
			 Of which:-  
			 Receiving a disability premium (percentage) 20 
			 Aged 60 or over (percentage) 49 
			 In receipt of Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (percentage) 64 
			 Lone parents (percentage) 16 
		
	
	Notes
	1. The figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2. The data refer to Housing Benefit recipients who may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one benefit recipient can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share.
	3. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number and do not sum because Housing Benefit recipients can fall into more than one client group.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2000.

Housing Benefit

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to speed up the processing of housing benefit applications; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 5 March 2002
	Under Best Value, we have set a range of performance indicators for HB which are designed to ensure that authorities provide their communities with a faster, more accurate service which is more secure against fraud, and which provides value for money and takes account of the views and needs of clients. Authorities are required to set challenging local targets against the indicators and, from April 2002, will be set aspirational national targets for speed of processing.
	On 21 March we published performance standards for the full range of HB administration. These address all aspects of administration including effective strategic management of the service; speed and accuracy of processing; modern accessible customer service; preventing and tackling fraud; working with landlords; and overpayments. Local authorities will be able to self-assess their performance against standards.
	The HB Help Team is working in partnership with local authorities to support them in improving the administration of HB. We are already seeing real improvements in administration as a result of the Team's work and the ongoing programme of inspections by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate. We also want to help more authorities deliver a high standard of HB service by sharing good practice. We are developing a dedicated web-site to do so and we plan to make available shortly on CD a toolkit which the Help Team has developed.

Housing Benefit

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the average time taken for local authorities to process housing benefit applications has been over the last three years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the target time is for local authorities to process housing benefit applications; how many achieved that target in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 5 March 2002
	The first full year in which data was collected on the performance of local authorities against performance indicators was 200001. The average times for local authorities to process Housing Benefit applications in England and Scotland are in the tables.
	
		
			 England  
		
		
			 Average time for processing new claims 52 days 
			 Average time for processing notifications for changes of circumstances 17 days 
			 Percentage of renewal claims processed on time (ie by the end of the existing benefit period) 63 per cent. 
		
	
	Note:
	Not all local authorities provided the data requested and some expressed doubt about the way their data had been collected. Therefore, the figures given are an average of the performance of the local authorities who responded.
	Source:
	Best Value and Audit Commission Performance Indicators for 200001.
	
		
			 Scotland  
		
		
			 Average time for processing new claims 48 days 
			 Average time for processing notifications for changes of circumstances 22 days 
			 Percentage of renewal claims processed on time (ie by the end of the existing benefit period) 75 per cent. 
		
	
	Note:
	Three of the 32 local authorities in Scotland failed to provide the data requested and, in some cases, the appointed auditors expressed doubt as to the reliability of the data collected. Therefore, the figures given are an average of the performance of the local authorities who responded.
	Source:
	Accounts Commission Performance Indicators 200001Benefits, Finance and Corporate issues.
	Best Value performance information for local authorities in Wales will be published very shortly by the Audit Commission.
	At present there are no national target times for local authorities to process Housing Benefit applications. However, on 21 March we published national performance standards for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit administration. Local authorities will be able to assess their own performance, identify areas that need attention and work towards achieving the standards.
	The performance standards for processing benefit claims are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Performance standards  
		
		
			 Average processing time for new housing benefit and council tax benefit claims 36 days 
			 Average processing time for housing benefit and council tax benefit changes of circumstances 9 days 
			 Percentage of renewal housing benefit and council tax benefit claims processed on time (ie by the end of the existing benefit period) 83 per cent.

Social Fund

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for alignment payments from the Social Fund have been received each month since January 2001; and what proportion were (a) refused, (b) fully awarded and (c) partially awarded.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 15 April 2002
	The available information is in the table.
	
		Social Fund crisis loan awardsalignment payments
		
			 Month Number of awards 
		
		
			 January 2001 44,831 
			 February 2001 38,164 
			 March 2001 40,940 
			 April 2001 37,331 
			 May 2001 39,785 
			 June 2001 38,588 
			 July 2001 40,876 
			 August 2001 41,618 
			 September 2001 37,566 
			 October 2001 43,585 
			 November 2001 41,318 
			 December 2001 32,677 
			 January 2002 46,522 
			 February 2002 42,732 
		
	
	Note:
	1. The Social Fund computer system does not capture separately the number of applications for alignment payments nor the number of such applications that are refused or result in a partial award.
	Source:
	Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System

Pension Service

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on his plans to create Pension Service and Job Centre Plus; and what access pensioners will have in person to these offices;
	(2)  what access pensioners will have in person to Benefits Agency offices under the new Pension Service arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) and the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 25 March 2002, Official Report, columns 65152W.

Personal Pension Funds

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have personal pension funds.

Ian McCartney: The information is in the table.
	
		People who have a personal pension
		
			   Million 
		
		
			 Numbers contributing to a personal pension 4.08 
			 Numbers receiving income from a personal pension 0.02 
			  
			 Total number of people with a personal pension. 4.10 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Information is drawn from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) for the year 200001 and covers Great Britain only.
	2. Due to the size of the FRS sample and the fact that the Survey relies on self-reporting of pension income the information may be subject to a margin of error.

War Pensions

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason MOD War Pensions will be subject to compulsory automated credit transfer in advance of state pensions and benefits.

Lewis Moonie: I have been asked to reply.
	War pensions will be treated no differently from other state pensions and benefits. At this time there is no compulsion for customers to change from their current method of payment. From October 2002 the Veterans Agency will be inviting existing customers paid by order book or payable order to change to payment through a bank or building society with effect from April 2003. The Department for Work and Pensions will be issuing similar invitations to recipients of child benefit.

Basic Pensions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners receiving one or more means-tested benefit have a weekly income of (a) up to 100, (b) 101 to 120, (c) 121 to 140, (d) 140 to 160, (e) 160 to 180, (f) 180 to 200, (g) 200 to 220, (h) 220 to 240 per week, (i) 240 to 260, (j) 260 to 280, (k) 280 to 300 and (l) over 300 per week.

Ian McCartney: pursuant to the reply, 12 February 2002, c. 257W
	The information requested is as follows.
	
		Number of pensioners in receipt of means tested benefits by weekly income bandGreat Britain 19992000
		
			 Weekly income before housing costs Number of pensioner units 
		
		
			 Up to and including 100 440,000 
			 101 to 120 510,000 
			 121 to 140 460,000 
			 141 to 160 310,000 
			 161 to 180 250,000 
			 181 to 200 190,000 
			 201 to 220 weekly income 160,000 
			 221 to 260 160,000 
			 261 and over 100,000 
			  
			 Total 2,590,000 
		
	
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey 19992000

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the PSA target that 25 per cent. of all business transactions should be capable of being carried out electronically by 2002 will be met on time;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the child support scheme targets for accuracy of payment arrangements and the level of compliance will be achieved by April 2003;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the PSA target that a new assessment of liability to pay child support maintenance shall be completed within seven weeks will be met by the end of 2002;
	(4)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the PSA target to reduce benefit losses from fraud and error in income support and jobseeker's allowance by 10 per cent. by March 2002 will be met;
	(5)  which public service agreement targets scheduled to be met in 2002 will not be achieved by the due date.

Nick Brown: Progress against PSA targets is set out each year in the departmental report. The 2001 report, Cm 5115, sets out our progress against the PSA targets for the period April 200001. The 2002 report will set out our progress for the period April 200102.

Departmental Staff

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many members of staff of his Department are members of the Territorial forces; and if he has a strategy for his Department to encourage members of staff to become members of the Territorial forces;
	(2)  how many members of staff at his Department are locally elected democratic representatives; and if he has a strategy for his Department to encourage members of staff to become locally elected democratic representatives.

Ian McCartney: The information is not held centrally and could be assimilated only at disproportionate cost. Section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) requires employers to allow their staff reasonable time off for public duties. The Civil Service Code (Para 9.2.5) requires Departments and agencies to allow time off for attending these duties. Responsibility for the decision making, in relation to attendance, for such activities has been delegated to business units within the Department. However, I am pleased to confirm that my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State's Diary Manager holds a commission with the Territorial Army.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Vocational Engineering

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the vocational engineering GCSE is to become an option for those not undertaking any physics courses at the same level.

Ivan Lewis: The Department will not prescribe how the new GCSEs in vocational subjects may be combined with other subjects. Those decisions will be taken at local level within the context of the requirements of the statutory curriculum.

Vocational Engineering

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the vocational engineering GCSE is to be presented as an option for students considered less academically capable.

Ivan Lewis: The new GCSEs in vocational subjects, which will include engineering, will be promoted by the Department as being available and suitable to young people of all abilities.

Nursery Education (London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what nursery provision has been provided by her Department to each London education authority in inner London boroughs over the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: Since September 1998 all four-year-olds in the inner London area have been able to access a free, part-time, early education place prior to statutory education.
	In 200203, 11 of the fifteen local education authorities will be able to provide a free early education place to all three-year-olds in their area. The remaining authorities are able to offer a free place to over 65 per cent. of their three-year-olds. All three-year-olds will have access to a free early education place by September 2004.
	The following table shows the amount of specific funding received by inner London education authorities to fund free early education places for four-year-olds. From April 2001, all free four-year-old places have been funded by local authorities from their own resources.
	
		 
		
			   Total NEG funding  
			 LEA name  199798 199899 19992000 200001 
		
		
			 Camden 1,661,012 707,078 743,998 829,868 
			 City of London 25,893 18,407 8,739 9,589 
			 Hackney 2,574,606 649,922 823,863 761,122 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,442,670 328,243 277,154 336,321 
			 Haringey 3,111,948 178,857 228,405 584,764 
			 Islington 2,075,786 337,116 348,345 363,544 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 805,775 251,970 208,222 262,080 
			 Lambeth 2,170,135 720,105 937,331 1,093,867 
			 Lewisham 2,977,996 431,562 618,404 432,917 
			 Newham 4,202,907 123,746 161,050 337,115 
			 Southwark 3,032,361 494,272 515,208 725,614 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,852,105 94,748 132,919 109,428 
			 Wandsworth 2,169,446 973,936 1,372,461 1,067,739 
			 Westminster 1,208,802 506,879 521,302 543,259 
		
	
	Note:
	The funding figures for four-year-olds in 199798 are significantly higher as all free places in this year were funded centrally. From 199899 only new places created in the maintained sector and all free places in the private, voluntary and independent sector were funded through specific grant. Existing places in the maintained sector were funded by the authority from their own resources.
	The following table shows the amount of specific funding received by inner London education authorities to fund free early education places for three-year-olds. This funding commenced September 1999.
	
		 
		
			   Total NEG funding  
			 LEA name 19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			 Camden 514,872 825,919 987,228 
			 City of London 0.00 1,160 14,256 
			 Hackney 597,915 1,155,980 1,768,932 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 275,401 618,429 706,860 
			 Haringey 511,711 690,364 958,716 
			 Islington 606,558 994,046 1,163,052 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0.00 341,506 825,660 
			 Lambeth 957,549 1,524,750 1,955,448 
			 Lewisham 592,391 1,110,739 1,860,408 
			 Newham 547,647 1,004,639 1,325,808 
			 Southwark 510,820 1,231,909 1,182,060 
			 Tower Hamlets 227,797 317,143 702,108 
			 Wandsworth 1,153,768 1,699,174 2,050,488 
			 Westminster 218,579 815,164 1,090,584 
		
	
	The information contained in the tables have been extracted from LEA Nursery Education Grant returns and is subject to change as a result of external audit.

School Absences

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the number of half days missed through authorised absence in (i) primary schools and (ii) secondary schools; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department's analytical section provides analysis of all absence data collected by the Department. A statistical bulletin was published in December 2001 and is available on the DfES website. Authorised absence accounts for nearly 90 per cent. of all school time missed and therefore can be as much a barrier to improving school standards as unauthorised absence.
	In addition, the Department has commissioned a research project on the causes of absence from school. This project will interview children, parents and teachers about the cause of absence and will report in the autumn.

Swimming Advisory Group

Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Swimming Advisory Group has completed its work; and when a report will be made.

Ivan Lewis: The Swimming Advisory Group has completed its work and its report is now under consideration within the Department for Education and Skills.

Public Bodies

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many bodies receive some or all of their funding from her Department; how much funding was received by each body in each year since 1997; and who the chief executive of each body was.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

PFI/PPPs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the difference was between the price offered in reaching preferred bidder stage and the final contract price for the five largest PFI contracts let by her Department in each of the last four years; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 25 March 2002
	My Department has only one PFI contract, which is with Capita, to deliver the Connexions Card project. The final contract price was 109.7 million over seven years. The details of the various bidding stages during contractual negotiations are commercial in confidence and in terms of Part II of the code of practice on access to Government information are exempt from disclosure.

Individual Learning Accounts

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on progress with the investigations into abuses of the Individual Learning Account scheme; and in how many cases money has been recovered from ILA providers who abused the scheme.

John Healey: holding answer 10 April 2002
	In respect of current investigations, 117 learning providers have been passed to the Department's Special Investigations Unit (SIU). Following detailed SIU work, 80 of these have been referred to nine different police forces: Cheshire, City of London, Cumbria, Dorset, Kent, Leicestershire, Metropolitan, National Crime Squad and West Midlands and the SIU are discussing a further 16 with the police. To date police have made 45 arrests that have resulted in 8 accepting cautions and charges being brought against 13 individuals, 12 of whom are awaiting court appearances and one person has been convicted.
	A total of 4.47 million of payments are withheld from the 80 providers referred to the police and the 16 SIU are discussing with the police.

Ethnic Minority Funding

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding has been given by her Department for section 11 funding for schools in each Inner London borough in the last year.

Stephen Timms: The education element of the Home Office's Section 11 Grant scheme ceased on 31 March 1999. It was replaced with the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant, which is administered by my Department. For 200203 155,862,368 is available nationally to improve attainment of minority ethnic pupils. The amounts allocated to London boroughs are set out.
	
		Ethnic minority achievement grant
		
			 LEA  
		
		
			 Corporation of London 107,415 
			 Camden 2,931,900 
			 Greenwich 1,912,505 
			 Hackney 4,299,222 
			 Hammersmith  Fulham 1,202,577 
			 Islington 2,529,175 
			 Kensington  Chelsea 1,164,506 
			 Lambeth 3,402,055 
			 Lewisham 2,698,457 
			 Southwark 2,053,869 
			 Tower Hamlets 8,044,136 
			 Wandsworth 2,332,179 
			 Westminster 2,136,538 
			 Barking 634,870 
			 Barnet 1,913,572 
			 Bexley 273,969 
			 Brent 2,991,961 
			 Bromley 112,808 
			 Croydon 2,107,095 
			 Ealing 3,701,735 
			 Enfield 2,476,533 
			 Haringey 3,599,985 
			 Harrow 1,263,821 
			 Havering 109,926 
			 Hillingdon 792,240 
			 Hounslow 2,360,138 
			 Kingston Upon Thames 312,690 
			 Merton 989,608 
			 Newham 3,333,858 
			 Redbridge 2,417,966 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 142,621 
			 Sutton 229,067 
			 Waltham Forest 2,557,579 
		
	
	Note:
	All figures include both DfES grant and LEA Contribution

English Teaching

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what grant aid has been paid to each local education authority in each of the last five years to assist in the teaching of English to ethnic minority pupils.

Stephen Timms: My Department provides additional ring-fenced support to raise the achievement of ethnic minority pupils and meet the needs of those for whom English is an additional language through the Ethnic Minority Achievement (EMAG) strand of the standards fund. EMAG replaced the education element of the Home Office's Section 11 grant scheme in April 1999. Individual programme allocations for each authority for each year from 19992000 to 200102 are as follows:
	
		 
		
			Total allocation  
			 LEA number LEA 19992000 200001(31) 200102 
		
		
			 201 Corporation of London 108,500 107,415 107,415 
			 202 Camden 2,931,900 3,102,868 2,931,900 
			 203 Greenwich 1,783,616 1,866,510 1,912,505 
			 204 Hackney 4,299,222 4,442,766 4,299,222 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 940,880 1,189,642 1,202,577 
			 206 Islington 2,529,175 2,529,175 2,529,175 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 1,177,506 1,219,975 1,164,506 
			 208 Lambeth 3,436,055 3,603,405 3,402,055 
			 209 Lewisham 2,211,561 2,543,947 2,698,457 
			 210 Southwark 1,431,818 1,910,192 2,053,869 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 8,125,390 8,095,454 8,044,136 
			 212 Wandsworth 1,912,879 2,163,323 2,332,179 
			 213 Westminster 2,151,538 2,136,538 2,136,538 
			 301 Barking 662,475 672,625 634,870 
			 302 Barnet 1,459,113 1,190,476 1,913,572 
			 303 Bexley 179,781 313,705 273,969 
			 304 Brent 2,370,904 2,804,240 2,991,961 
			 305 Bromley 51,161 166,547 112,808 
			 306 Croydon 2,032,254 2,163,023 2,107,095 
			 307 Ealing 2,949,203 3,556,921 3,701,735 
			 308 Enfield 2,293,602 2,357,497 2,476,533 
			 309 Haringey 3,337,039 3,526,622 3,599,985 
			 310 Harrow 863,751 1,214,881 1,263,821 
			 311 Havering 75,640 131,090 109,926 
			 312 Hillingdon 629,631 872,091 792,240 
			 313 Hounslow 1,829,207 2,279,528 2,360,138 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 222,389 309,329 312,690 
			 315 Merton 803,895 913,930 989,608 
			 316 Newham 253,058 1,038,976 1,410,781 
			 317 Redbridge 1,965,442 2,228,929 2,417,966 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 76,785 164,041 142,621 
			 319 Sutton 151,345 301,005 229,067 
			 320 Waltham Forest 2,054,111 2,426,419 2,557,579 
			 330 Birmingham 5,908,043 7,288,725 8,211,164 
			 331 Coventry 3,208,635 3,208,635 3,208,635 
			 332 Dudley 1,679,723 1,679,723 1,679,723 
			 333 Sandwell 331,689 1,594,539 1,736,068 
			 334 Solihull  73,120 39,978 
			 335 Walsall 1,962,120 1,962,120 1,962,120 
			 336 Wolverhampton 2,498,696 3,566,228 2,498,696 
			 340 Knowsley  4,002 6,760 
			 341 Liverpool 444,014 519,083 573,262 
			 342 St. Helens 27,343 86,914 34,064 
			 343 Sefton  79,841 13,525 
			 344 Wirral  12,340 20,631 
			 350 Bolton 938,052 1,147,765 1,052,062 
			 351 Bury 487,320 539,266 487,320 
			 352 Manchester 2,988,148 3,305,363 3,013,363 
			 353 Oldham 2,423,068 2,423,934 2,403,068 
			 354 Rochdale 1,490,703 1,608,763 1,490,703 
			 355 Salford 94,732 206,052 125,078 
			 356 Stockport 114,892 103,080 120,653 
			 357 Tameside 531,905 646,649 531,905 
			 358 Trafford 421,131 518,210 523,308 
			 359 Wigan 121,503 243,818 121,503 
			 370 Barnsley  81,322 11,316 
			 371 Doncaster 139,870 324,711 174,730 
			 372 Rotherham 628,345 667,136 628,345 
			 373 Sheffield 1,870,859 2,018,222 1,870,859 
			 380 Bradford 7,569,000 7,788,980 7,569,000 
			 381 Calderdale 1,150,746 1,150,746 1,150,746 
			 382 Kirklees 4,152,833 4,187,568 4,152,833 
			 383 Leeds 1,186,136 1,704,706 1,512,802 
			 384 Wakefield 474,288 563,667 474,288 
			 390 Gateshead 54,404 128,279 65,549 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 504,213 600,263 613,453 
			 392 North Tyneside 155,504 198,051 161,012 
			 393 South Tyneside 208,885 208,885 208,885 
			 394 Sunderland 128,867 194,214 144,208 
			 420 Isles Of Scilly  0 63 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset  45,686 51,622 
			 801 Bristol 1,126,875 1,036,269 1,036,269 
			 802 North Somerset  14,479 18,253 
			 803 South Gloucestershire  404,142 44,911 
			 805 Hartlepool 23,221 23,722 25,807 
			 806 Middlesbrough 459,107 612,787 454,607 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 45,820 45,320 45,320 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 197,972 195,418 195,418 
			 810 Kingston-upon-Hull 51,694 52,791 60,019 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire  387,330 19,690 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 43,476 43,476 43,476 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 281,121 281,121 281,121 
			 815 North Yorkshire 72,456 174,580 43,963 
			 816 York  146,838 58,901 
			 820 Bedfordshire 1,018,635 1,227,363 1,018,635 
			 821 Luton 2,215,052 2,287,952 2,188,832 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 1,594,891 1,803,612 1,594,891 
			 826 Milton Keynes 384,562 480,419 467,667 
			 830 Derbyshire  107,991 121,568 
			 831 Derby City 1,741,890 1,911,083 1,653,054 
			 835 Dorset  65,534 26,415 
			 836 Poole 48,708 67,272 22,098 
			 837 Bournemouth  24,909 31,284 
			 840 Durham  336,146 92,529 
			 841 Darlington 191,074 114,645 114,645 
			 845 East Sussex 149,209 334,931 180,666 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 247,270 247,270 247,270 
			 850 Hampshire 177,125 397,838 250,513 
			 851 Portsmouth 217,491 217,491 217,491 
			 852 Southampton 483,237 483,237 483,237 
			 855 Leicestershire 634,726 1,048,455 811,986 
			 856 Leicester City 3,255,001 3,645,064 3,645,064 
			 857 Rutland  0 1,630 
			 860 Staffordshire 490,666 490,666 528,985 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 614,112 614,112 614,112 
			 865 Wiltshire  280,985 89,375 
			 866 Swindon 178,352 128,473 142,712 
			 867 Bracknell Forest  18,058 23,219 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 242,142 281,552 307,795 
			 869 West Berkshire  20,692 26,541 
			 870 Reading 503,353 480,975 480,975 
			 871 Slough 1,084,527 1,238,694 1,344,916 
			 872 Wokingham 25,109 297,927 72,947 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 461,390 889,509 456,390 
			 874 Peterborough 1,008,312 1,084,212 981,212 
			 875 Cheshire  280,000 35,384 
			 876 Halton  0 4,175 
			 877 Warrington 110,886 108,886 108,886 
			 878 Devon 17,597 325,827 36,839 
			 879 Plymouth 108,390 108,390 108,390 
			 880 Torbay  3,563 6,159 
			 881 Essex 10,658 548,237 124,623 
			 882 Southend-on-Sea  17,583 31,111 
			 883 Thurrock 51,146 133,954 72,670 
			 884 Herefordshire  2,019 3,480 
			 885 Worcestershire 374,099 374,099 374,099 
			 886 Kent 1,824,159 2,459,221 1,824,159 
			 887 Medway 456,320 343,320 343,320 
			 888 Lancashire 4,134,560 4,506,176 4,134,560 
			 889 Blackburn with Darwen 2,069,706 2,069,706 2,069,706 
			 890 Blackpool  5,176 8,491 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 176,832 362,633 267,267 
			 892 Nottingham City 1,989,797 2,004,797 1,973,797 
			 893 Shropshire  35,230 39,608 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 216,498 211,140 228,496 
			 908 Cornwall  124,501 10,843 
			 909 Cumbria  86,920 12,900 
			 916 Gloucestershire 329,641 534,935 361,118 
			 919 Hertfordshire 2,272,207 2,841,259 2,272,207 
			 921 Isle Of Wight  0 4,168 
			 925 Lincolnshire 124,699 369,384 153,817 
			 926 Norfolk 317,925 679,779 305,925 
			 928 Northamptonshire 837,562 1,139,918 837,562 
			 929 Northumberland  89,118 12,271 
			 931 Oxfordshire 690,665 1,188,472 742,282 
			 933 Somerset 94,353 246,840 94,353 
			 935 Suffolk 357,869 519,886 356,984 
			 936 Surrey 433,308 886,970 596,398 
			 937 Warwickshire 1,498,412 1,498,412 1,498,412 
			 938 West Sussex 312,228 571,061 430,072 
			  England Total 139,274,586 162,946,443 153,907,740 
		
	
	(31) For 200001 Ethnic Minority Achievement grant was combined with Traveller Achievement grant. It is not possible to disaggregate the figures for each.
	Note:
	All figures include both DfES grant and LEA contribution

Organisational Requirements

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what requirements have been (a) placed on and (b) removed from (i) head teachers, (ii) school governors, (iii) local education authorities, (iv) universities, (v) further education and sixth form colleges, (vi) the Office for Standards in Education and (vii) Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Modern Apprenticeships

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people, broken down by sector and region (a) have undertaken and (b) are undertaking modern apprenticeships.

Ivan Lewis: The following tables contain the requested information. The first table contains the total number of starts on Advanced Modern Apprenticeships (AMA) and Foundation Modern Apprenticeships (FMA) between September 1995 and December 2001. The second table contains the number in learning on 23 December 2001. For both tables, the breakdown by sector and region is estimated from incomplete information. Where the total number of learners in a sector across all regions is estimated to be 200 or less, no estimate is provided. All other estimates are rounded to the nearest 10.
	
		Number of modern apprenticeships undertaken from September 1995 to December 2001
		
			 Sector South East London  Eastern South West West Midlands East Midlands Yorkshire and Humber North West North East England 
		
		
			 101 Agriculture and commercial horticulture 190 50 380 1,130 770 430 760 567 220 4,500 
			 102 Business administration 10,220 6,080 9,130 8,100 13,700 9,880 13,610 21,928 12,030 104,540 
			 103 Chemicals industry 30 20 10 0 20 10 170 462 150 860 
			 104 Early years care and education 4,480 4,750 1,900 2,330 3,090 2,250 1,730 4,893 890 26,360 
			 105 Electrotechnical industry 3,010 2,300 1,850 2,280 2,100 2,190 2,240 3,390 730 20,110 
			 106 Engineering manufacture 7,500 2,360 4,550 6,260 7,790 5,130 5,940 11,044 5,680 56,230 
			 107 Engineering construction 100 20 40 10 90 40 70 345 490 1,170 
			 108 Information technology 2,950 1,920 1,900 1,280 1,710 1,800 5,520 2,670 1,710 21,440 
			 111 Polymers 0 10 20 0 40 70 60 48 10 270 
			 112 Retailing 10,030 9,140 9,530 5,840 9,290 5,460 8,900 11,418 7,430 77,070 
			 113 Steel industry 40 10 30 70 340 80 290 50 50 960 
			 115 Travel services 1,410 990 970 1,470 1,420 760 1,100 2,056 650 10,830 
			 116 Construction 4,940 2,130 5,490 4,460 4,770 4,860 7,490 11,206 4,890 50,140 
			 117 Plumbing 1,370 730 910 1,070 970 1,150 1,260 1,752 720 9,940 
			 201 Accountancy 1,840 820 1,550 1,520 1,990 2,010 2,210 3,009 920 15,860 
			 202 Aviation 210 110 300 60 2,030 10 30 330 0 3,100 
			 204 Craft baking 40 10 40 80 50 50 20 233 120 640 
			 205 Builders merchants 90 50 60 60 100 50 80 146 50 680 
			 206 Bus and coach 40 70 70 20 420 10 0 305 0 930 
			 210 Clothing 10 10 20 0 70 140 120 292 100 740 
			 211 Electricity supply industry 60 50 70 40 40 70 100 113 10 540 
			 212 Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 510 770 300 440 300 310 380 728 150 3,900 
			 213 Residential estate agency 390 210 400 220 130 90 60 146 70 1,730 
			 214 Furniture manufacture 80 10 30 90 30 200 150 427 20 1,030 
			 216 Glass 100 40 70 120 140 180 250 1,074 40 2,000 
			 217 Hairdressing 8,310 5,890 5,940 5,520 5,630 4,720 6,220 10,413 3,960 56,620 
			 219 Amenity horticulture 640 130 420 490 390 290 260 751 200 3,580 
			 220 Hospitality 9,550 9,660 8,030 7,300 9,180 7,110 7,040 11,639 3,980 73,610 
			 225 Meat industry 50 0 350 50 360 220 180 450 150 1,800 
			 227 Printing 500 690 400 440 200 360 510 570 160 3,830 
			 228 Road haulage and distribution 450 60 180 130 120 210 350 350 310 2,160 
			 230 Security 90 550 50 130 20 20 40 493 70 1,470 
			 231 Sports and recreation 1,810 1,010 1,000 1,020 920 390 800 2,175 580 9,700 
			 232 Telecommunications 490 1,640 260 1,970 320 70 260 686 200 5,930 
			 234 Marine industry 130 0 70 270 0 10 30 153 70 730 
			 235 Motor industry 5,880 3,740 3,820 6,020 4,120 4,650 4,390 6,411 2,330 41,410 
			 236 Health and social care 6,920 2,100 4,110 5,340 5,460 3,080 4,790 9,261 3,560 44,610 
			 237 Newspapers 40 60 10 20 50 10 10 78 0 270 
			 241 Banking services 0 230 90 0 220 120 50 7 0 730 
			 244 Floristry 160 30 100 130 100 40 80 148 40 840 
			 247 Horse industry 70 10 160 90 50 80 20 63 20 550 
			 248 Insurance 50 290 120 130 220 80 110 452 10 1,460 
			 254 Agriculture and garden machinery 80 0 170 280 240 180 180 105 40 1,270 
			 257 Electronic system servicing 260 80 60 10 250 20 50 38 0 760 
			 259 International trade 50 110 80 20 100 20 60 106 10 560 
			 260 Management 260 360 260 220 400 280 150 367 240 2,540 
			 262 Animal care 560 370 1,560 760 540 520 490 626 240 5,690 
			 263 Customer service 6,990 10,040 5,010 5,250 5,490 5,940 5,610 10,370 5,180 59,930 
			 264 Food and drink 70 0 110 60 50 210 260 419 40 1,200 
			 265 Gas industry 120 60 70 50 70 30 140 211 20 770 
			 267 Warehousing 240 80 230 140 360 300 360 590 240 2,550 
			 276 Textiles 0 0 0 0 20 200 170 42 0 440 
			 270 Health and beauty therapy 10 0 0 20 20 20 30 64 60 230 
			 282 Building services engineers 10 30 0 20 40 30 0 72 0 210 
			 283 Manufacturing 40 0 80 100 340 40 320 314 40 1,260 
		
	
	Sources:
	Trainee Database System (to 25 March 2001)
	LSC Individualised Learner Records (from 26 March 2001)
	
		Number undertaking modern apprenticeships on 23 December 2001
		
			 Sector South East London  Eastern South West West Midlands East Midlands Yorkshire and Humber North West North East England 
		
		
			 101 Agriculture and commercial horticulture 50 50 140 350 360 140 190 220 40 1,530 
			 102 Business administration 2,490 1,370 2,250 2,060 3,280 2,280 3,610 5,190 2,680 25,200 
			 104 Early years care and education 1,610 1,690 720 970 1,090 830 510 1,840 320 9,590 
			 105 Electrical installation eng./national electrot. 970 1,070 730 940 850 750 810 820 220 7,160 
			 106 Engineering manufacture 3,740 730 1,600 2,780 2,690 1,840 2,110 4,200 1,900 21,590 
			 107 Engineering construction (AMA only) 40 50 30 20 130 10 60 150 260 740 
			 108 Information technology 940 370 340 280 430 310 1,290 550 480 5,000 
			 112 Retailing 1,840 1,260 1,800 1,180 1,540 970 1,850 2,110 1,200 13,750 
			 115 Travel services 100 180 30 340 250 30 60 360 40 1,390 
			 116 Construction 2,040 740 2,250 1,760 1,680 1,620 2,420 3,780 1,820 18,110 
			 117 Plumbing 660 310 400 500 450 470 540 710 270 4,320 
			 201 Accountancy 490 130 360 390 450 500 610 840 210 3,980 
			 202 Aviation 110 10 140 50 2,000 0 10 200 0 2,540 
			 206 Bus and coach 10 20 40 0 140 0 0 80 0 290 
			 211 Electricity supply industry (AMA only) 20 10 10 50 90 60 70 40 0 350 
			 212 Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration. 120 320 90 140 110 50 210 330 20 1,390 
			 213 Residential estate agency 90 10 50 40 30 20 20 10 20 280 
			 215 Furniture manufacture 60 10 20 20 10 90 100 180 0 490 
			 216 Glass 10 0 0 30 0 0 20 540 0 600 
			 217 Hairdressing 2,450 1,370 1,760 1,650 1,560 1,300 1,750 3,050 1,120 16,020 
			 219 Amenity horticulture 280 30 150 160 110 120 110 310 70 1,350 
			 220 Hospitality 2,380 1,450 1,800 1,900 2,320 1,970 1,730 3,070 1,030 17,640 
			 225 Meat industry 0 0 70 10 60 50 30 80 40 340 
			 227 Printing 20 30 50 50 50 70 90 100 20 480 
			 230 Security 10 220 0 30 0 0 10 160 10 450 
			 231 Sports and recreation 520 260 350 250 290 70 250 720 170 2,870 
			 232 Telecommunications 80 1,220 120 900 110 0 60 200 300 2,720 
			 233 Timber trade (wood machining) (AMA only) 10 40 20 40 20 50 30 30 0 240 
			 234 Marine industry (AMA only) 30 0 0 180 0 0 0 0 0 210 
			 235 Motor industry 1,480 930 750 1,810 930 1,060 1,120 1,840 740 10,660 
			 236 Health and social care 1,760 650 1,090 1,440 1,240 830 1,280 2,340 950 11,560 
			 244 Floristry 70 10 30 40 30 10 30 50 10 270 
			 247 Horse industry 80 120 250 150 70 90 50 90 10 910 
			 248 Insurance 60 80 50 100 30 60 40 180 0 590 
			 254 Agriculture and garden machinery 40 0 40 100 90 70 60 50 10 460 
			 257 Electronic system servicing 130 40 30 50 20 10 20 30 0 320 
			 260 Management (AMA only) 180 170 120 120 170 120 80 210 110 1,260 
			 262 Animal care 80 40 290 90 60 20 70 140 50 830 
			 263 Customer service 1,960 1,730 1,250 1,240 1,390 1,590 1,510 2,800 1,400 14,870 
			 264 Food and drink manufacturing operations 40 20 50 70 60 80 80 150 40 580 
			 265 Gas industry (AMA only) 40 10 0 20 10 0 50 90 10 230 
			 267 Warehousing 140 50 200 110 270 190 230 510 190 1,900 
			 283 Manufacturing operation (FMA only) 30 0 20 90 230 20 120 150 10 670 
		
	
	Sources:
	Trainee Database System (to 25 March 2001)
	LSC Individualised Learner Records (from 26 March 2001)

Mathematics

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how she plans to replace the British mathematics students who have dropped the subject after taking their AS-level examinations.

Ivan Lewis: In response to concerns about the high failure rate in AS mathematics in summer 2001, the Secretary of State commissioned the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to investigate the cause as part of the Review of Curriculum 2000.
	This review is expected to result in revised specifications for first teaching from 2004. In the meantime, there will be an additional opportunity for students to sit mathematics units in the autumn of 2002 to 2004 inclusive, and additional funding for teaching these units.

Project Sponsorship

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which of her Department's projects have received sponsorship since 1997, including (a) details of the sponsor, (b) the nature of the project, (c) the date of the project, (d) the total cost of the project and (e) the amount of money involved in the sponsorship deal.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 16 April 2002
	In line with the Government's commitment in its response to the Sixth Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life, details of individual amounts of sponsorship valued at more than 5,000 will be disclosed in departmental annual reports.

Television Subscriptions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the number of subscriptions to (a) digital terrestrial, (b) digital satellite and (c) digital cable television held by her Department for services in any departmental building from which Ministers work, stating for each subscription its (i) cost and (ii) purpose.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 10 April 2002
	My Department has four subscriptions to digital satellite at a cost of approximately 5,000 per year and up to 25 subscriptions to digital cable at a cost of approximately 15,000 per year. We do not have any subscriptions to digital terrestrial television. The purpose of the subscriptions is for parliamentary business and constant access to news and House of Commons transmissions.

Property Protection

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what new measures her Department took in 200102 to protect its property from theft or damage.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 16 April 2002
	My Department takes physical security of its headquarter buildings seriously and is constantly looking at ways to improve the systems in place. As well as introducing new measures we already have a number of security measures/systems in place, which include:
	Clear written policy that is communicated to all staff;
	Asset registers and inventories that record asset descriptions, serial numbers, location, who has responsibility for them and value;
	Ownership of assets assigned to named individuals;
	Periodic checks (both management and independent) to confirm the continued existence and condition of assets;
	Passes needed by staff giving permission to take assets such as laptops and projectors out of Government buildings;
	Random searches of bags by security staff;
	Clear written procedures about what to do when assets are damaged or go missing; and
	Security markings on equipment.
	Additional measures that have been introduced during 200102 include the:
	Upgrading of the alarm system on the London estate so that it is capable of detecting movement on roofs and within its buildings;
	Fitting of alarms to the main computer stores on the London estate;
	Replacing the doors to the IT server with stronger materials to prevent forced access;
	Electronic tagging of any new laptops which are supplied from our Information Technology team. This system records the exact time and date when the equipment leaves the building; and
	Upgrading of the photo pass equipment on all headquarter sites to digital images which are stored electronically.

Secondments

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many members of staff were employed by her Department on secondment from non-Governmental organisations in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.

Ivan Lewis: Since April 1999, 19 members of staff have been seconded to this Department from non-Government organisations, as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1 April 199931 March 2000 9 
			 1 April 200031 March 2001 14 
			 1 April 200131 March 2002 6 
		
	
	Where a secondment covers two or more financial years, it has been counted in all the financial years it occurs.

Timber

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the companies from which her Department has obtained timber and wood products and the total spent with each firm over the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Press Office

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff in her Department's press office have received (a) termination and (b) redundancy payments in each of the last four years.

Ivan Lewis: In the former Department for Education and Employment one member of staff in the press office received a termination payment in 2001. No other such payments were made in the preceding three years, and there were no redundancies.

Equipment Leasing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by her Department in each of the last four years; and what the cost to public funds in each case is.

Ivan Lewis: This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

Unlicensed Medicines

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will list those websites that have been (a) closed and (b) forced to amend their webpages by the Medicines Control Agency due to breaching the law on the sale of unlicensed medicines via the internet since March 2000;
	(2)  how many prosecutions by the Medicines Control Agency against sellers of unlicensed medicines via the Internet (a) have been undertaken, (b) have been successful and (c) are in preparation since 12 July 2000.

Hazel Blears: The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has no powers contained within its statutory enforcement provisions to force closure of websites. However, MCA achieves compliance from internet service providers who are given advice on UK legislation. Websites are usually withdrawn or modified to comply with UK law.
	To date the MCA has achieved six site closures through voluntary compliance from ISPs, seven compliances by operators amending their website, one successful prosecution and 12 referrals to other Government agencies or overseas enforcement authorities.
	There are 10 further cases under investigation.
	As a matter of policy the MCA does not publish details of voluntary compliance.

National Institute for Clinical Excellence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) appraisals and (b) sets of guidelines were issued by NICE in (i) Q4 200001 and (ii) Q1, (iii) Q2 and (iv) Q3 in 200102.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of technology appraisals Number of clinical guidelines 
		
		
			 January-March 2001 5 0 
			 April-June 2001 4 3 
			 July-September 2001 4 1 
			 October-December 2001 1 0 
			 Total 2001 14 4 
		
	
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence also published Referral advice, a guide to appropriate referral from general to specialist service in December 2001.

National Institute for Clinical Excellence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many appraisals of new or existing technologies by NICE were produced in 2001.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 10 April 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Romsey (Sandra Gidley) today.

GP Home Visits

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce compulsory home visits by GPs for elderly patients.

Jacqui Smith: We have no plans to vary the existing arrangements. General medical services general practitioners (GPs) must currently offer to make an annual home visit to all patients aged 75 years or over. GPs working within personal medical services are required to make arrangements which best meet the needs of the local population, including elderly patients, but the detail of the arrangements are a matter to be agreed locally as part of the Personal Medical Services pilot agreement.

Registered Homes Act

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most recent date of publication has been of the statistical report on private hospitals, homes and clinics registered under section 23 of the Registered Homes Act 1984.

Jacqui Smith: The statistical bulletinCommunity Care Statistics 2000Private Nursing Homes, Hospitals and Clinics was published in February 2001.

Parental Leave Directive

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the (a) financial costs and (b) benefits to his Department of the Parental Leave Directive.

Hazel Blears: As any annual leave taken by staff is recorded and checked locally by business areas within the Department, there is no centrally held information available on the cost of parental leave taken by staff.
	The Department has for some time had a special leave policy enabling its staff to take parental leave. Since it came into force the Department has complied with the Parental Leave Directive. As a responsible employer the Department is committed to supporting its staff to work flexibly around their family responsibilities and has a flexible working pattern policy and a child care and carer support scheme. The Department benefits by retaining skilled staff and being valued as an employer.

Correspondence

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of time taken to answer letters to Ministers has been in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: For the calendar year 2001, the average time Ministers have taken to reply to letters is 22.91 days.

Correspondence

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter dated 17 October 2001 from the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell relating to any inquiry by Mr. Reeve of 6 Wellesford Close, Banstead, Surrey.

Jacqui Smith: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 23 October 2001.

Territorial Forces

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of staff of his Department are members of the Territorial forces; and if he has a strategy to encourage members of staff to become members of the Territorial forces.

Hazel Blears: The Department does not record details of civil service staff who are also members of the Territorial forces.
	The Civil Service Management Code (paragraph 9.2.5) requires Departments and agencies to allow members of the Reserve Forces, Territorial Army or Cadet Forces time off work. The decision over whether such time off is paid or unpaid has been delegated to Departments and agencies.
	The Department has a special leave policy that allows members of the Reserve Forces, Territorial Army and Cadet Forces to take special leave with pay for periods of training. Staff are also permitted to accept payments in respect of their membership of the Reserve Forces, Territorial Army and Cadet Forces.

Advertising

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department will spend on advertising, other than for job vacancies, in the current financial year.

Hazel Blears: The Department has spent 19.81 million so far on advertising in this current financial year.

Golden Jubilee

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Department has spent on the Queen's Jubilee in each of the past three years; how the money was allocated; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: No specific allocations have been made for expenditure on the Jubilee by the Department. Information is not collected centrally in a form to identify any incidental expenditure that may have taken place.

Staff (Locally Elected Representative)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of staff at his Department are locally elected democratic representatives; and if he has a strategy for his Department to encourage members of staff to become locally elected democratic representatives.

Hazel Blears: The Department does not record details of civil service staff who are locally elected democratic representatives.
	Section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) requires employers to allow their staff reasonable time off for public duties. The Civil Service Management Code (paragraph 9.2.5) also requires departments to allow time off for attendance required by section 50 of the ERA 1996.
	Special leave policy rests with individual departments and agencies who are free to decide on the amounts of special leave, and the circumstances for which it is granted and whether such leave is paid or unpaid.
	As part of its commitment to encouraging staff to be active in the community, the Department of Health has a special leave policy that allows staff who are elected members of local authorities an annual limit of 18 days paid leave.

New Deal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been employed by his Department in each of the last three years under (a) the New Deal for Young People, (b) the New Deal for the Over 50s and (c) the New Deal for Lone Parents; and at what cost, listed by category, to public funds.

Hazel Blears: The Department does not record New Deal recruits under these categories.
	New Deal recruits take up existing vacancies so extra costs to public funds are limited to the subsidy, where appropriate, and any additional training and development which may be needed. The cost of the latter cannot be readily identified.
	Since joining the scheme in 1998 the Department of Health has taken 72 New Deal recruits. The Department also regularly provides Cabinet Office with New Deal statistics for progress reports for Department for Work and Pensions Ministers on recruitment to meet the benchmark figure for civil service participation in the New Deal programme.

New Deal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people employed by his Department under the New Deal for Young People in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseeker's allowance or other benefits.

Hazel Blears: Information is not held centrally on the number of New Dealers who have found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks or who have returned to jobseekers' allowance or other benefits.

Creche Facilities

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost.

Hazel Blears: While the Department does not provide creche facilities for its staff, it does provide staff with an allowance towards the cost of nursery care.
	The allowance year runs concurrently with the academic year and the cost of providing nursery allowance (600 per parent) for the last academic year (1 September 2000 to 31 August 2001) was 95,725.

Anaesthetic Services

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of anaesthetic services (a) in the Scarborough accident and emergency Yorkshire NHS Trust area and (b) in the Yorkshire and north-east area as a whole.

Hazel Blears: Clinical governance was introduced into the national health service for the first time in 1999. This is underpinned by a statutory duty of quality on NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in the Health Act 1999, which requires them to put and keep in place arrangements for monitoring and improving the quality of health care they provide.
	In the case of the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust, difficulties were identified in the provision of services for general anaesthetics across the trust due to a shortage of consultant anaesthetists. In order to ensure adequate cover, the trust decided to restrict operations that require general anaesthetics to three sites and as Malton Community Hospital was the site with the lowest general anaesthetic activity, general anaesthetic services at Malton will cease with effect from 1 April 2002. From that date patients will either have their operations under a local anaesthetic, where appropriate, in Malton or be treated under a general anaesthetic at one of the trust's other sites at Scarborough, Bridlington or Whitby.

National Care Standards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2002, ref 43898, on National Care Standards, how many and what percentage of care homes have completed their (a) application for registration, (b) statement of purpose and (c) application for registration; and what enforcement action the Commission can take if compliance with these standards is not achieved.

Jacqui Smith: As of 1 April 2002 the National Care Standards Commission had received approximately 2,500 applications from providers and managers who were required to apply for registration by that date. It is not possible to say how many of these applications are from care homes since the commission is still assessing from which service areas the applications originated and the associated documentation with them.
	Providers who have submitted their application for registration will be given protection from section 11(1) of the Care Standards Act until their application can be processed by the commission. Providers who failed to submit their application for registration by 31 March are committing an offence under section 11(1), of the Act. However, before taking prosecution action as set out at section 11(5), we would expect the commission to take account of the circumstances as to why an application was not made.

Nursing Care Payments

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is towards nursing homes passing on an administration charge to residents for the payment of the free nursing care money.

Jacqui Smith: The allocations made to health authorities for NHS funded nursing care include an amount for general administration. In implementing the arrangements, the national health service has been asked to ensure that the administrative burdens on both the NHS and homes should be kept to a minimum. Care homes with concerns about the administrative burden should raise this with the responsible local NHS service body.

NHS Procurement

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 304W, on Procure 21, if he will list the pilot areas for the NHS procurement initiative Procure 21; and what the minimum financial level will be of the contract which will be awarded in relation to NHS Procure 21.

John Hutton: Procure 21 comprises programmes to improve the performance of the NHS as a client of the construction industry, to improve design, and to introduce partnering frameworks. Best Client and design initiatives apply nationally. Partnering frameworks are being piloted in the North West and West Midlands regions of the NHS. The minimum financial value of contracts that will be awarded under NHS Procure 21 will be 1 million (this is the works cost as defined in the NHS Capital Investment Manual). This information was detailed in the Contract Notices placed in the Supplement to the European Journal in April 2001 (refs Works Contracts (Publicly Funded Schemes) 2001/S 71048469, Services Contracts (PFI/PPP Schemes) 2001/S 71048708).

NHS Procurement

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a decision was made after the pilot scheme on the best use of a Government procurement card in his Department.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 25 March 2002
	On 7 April 2000, it was decided that use of the Government procurement card should be made available to any units across the Department who can justify its issue in terms of the transactions they undertake.

Autism

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was made available to the Medical Research Council for research into autism each year from 1992 to 2001; and how the 2.5 million funding available to the Medical Research Council for continued research into autism will be used.

Jacqui Smith: The Medical Research Council (MRC) funds a large amount of work on the causes and treatment of autism, and to increase the knowledge base of issues surrounding autism. In recent years the MRC has spent the following amounts on autism research:
	
		
			
		
		
			 199697 826,000 
			 199798 905,000 
			 199899 1,041,000 
			 19992000 1,114,000 
			 200001 1,182,000 
		
	
	Information for earlier years is not readily available.
	I announced on 14 February an extra 2.5 million to the MRC to help them to take forward recommendations on further research contained in their report of their review of the epidemiology and causes of autism. The additional funds provide the opportunity for the MRC to accelerate research on autism, building on existing strengths and addressing gaps which were identified in the report. It will complement and add to the MRC's current support for research in this field. It is likely that the range of research supported will be broader than that of the MRC review and may include research to develop and evaluate interventions. Previous research has not been supported from ring-fenced funding. We will continue to pursue our constructive dialogue with the MRC on autism research.

Schizophrenia

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason he has not yet issued guidance on atypical and traditional anti-psychotic medication for schizophrenia; when he expects to issue guidance to NICE to investigate the use of atypical and traditional anti- psychotic medication for older people in care settings; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is appraising atypical anti-psychotic drugs for schizophrenia. NICE has produced its final appraisal determination which is subject to appeal. We are not in a position, until the result of the appeals is known, to state when guidance will be issued.
	There are no plans at present for NICE to consider separately the use of anti-psychotic drugs for older people in care settings. Through measures such as the National Service Framework for Older People and the Care Standards Act, we have set out clear requirements for the proper management of medicines for older people.

Pharmacies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the limited opening hours of local pharmacies on Sundays.

Hazel Blears: Under the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 arrangements for pharmacies to open on Sundays are determined locally.
	Pharmacy in the FutureImplementing the NHS Plan commits the NHS, in partnership with NHS Direct, local pharmacies and patient representatives, to review arrangements so that patients who need medicines out of hours will get them easily. We plan to issue advice for the NHS later this year.

Residential Care

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have taken place with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs concerning the use of rural leisure accommodation for residential care for the elderly.

Jacqui Smith: No discussions have taken place on this subject with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. There are no proposals that rural leisure accommodation should be used to provide residential care for the elderly.

Public Relations Companies

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which public relations companies have been used by the NHS; how much money has been spent in the past 12 months on each of them; and on which projects.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Intermediate Care Beds

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the composition in terms of location of the extra intermediate care beds which have been introduced, and are planned to be introduced, under the National Plan.

Jacqui Smith: A survey of NHS intermediate care in England was carried out in August 2001. Local health and social care communities were asked to provide data for intermediate care services in place in 19992000, and those planned at that time for 200102, to enable progress in achieving the NHS Plan targets for intermediate care beds and places to be measured.
	The results of the survey showed that by the end of 200102 there would be, compared to the baseline of 19992000, around an additional 2,400 intermediate care beds. The full results of the survey, giving data by region and by health authority, are in the Library.

Haemodialysis Stations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) new and (b) replacement haemodialysis stations have come into operation since the publication of the NHS National Plan.

Jacqui Smith: Since the publication of the NHS Plan in July 2000, capital modernisation allocations from the Department have wholly or partly funded the delivery of 277 new and 22 replacement haemodialysis stations in England. These are in addition to those implemented locally by the NHS in line with regional expansion and development programmes.

Mental Health

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the London region of the NHS decided to reduce the number of mental health services bought from outside London.

Jacqui Smith: London is developing local national health service mental health services, in line with the adult mental health national service framework and NHS Plan. The development and expansion of local services will also reduce London's reliance on out of London placements in the independent sector and on other NHS facilities. This will mean less travelling for patients and their carers and is therefore supported by them. Where local services do not exist, London will continue to use mental health facilities outside of London based on clinical advice and appropriate services being available.

Mental Illness

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of people, broken down by age, were (a) admitted and (b) discharged from hospital in each of the last five years where the main diagnosis was mental illness, but the patients also suffered malnourishment.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 5 March 2002
	There was one admission and one discharge from NHS Hospitals in England in 200001 with a main diagnosis of mental illness and with malnutrition as a secondary diagnosis. The admission and discharge were aged over 85. There were no discharges or admissions in the previous four years (199697 to 19992000).
	Note:
	Malnutrition = ICD-10: E40-E46; mental illness = ICD-10: F00-F99.

Mental Illness

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of people, broken down by age, were (a) admitted and (b) discharged from hospital in each of the last five years where the main diagnosis was malnourishment, but the patients also suffered from mental illness.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 5 March 2002
	The figures represent the number of discharges (table 1) and admissions (table 2) to NHS hospitals in England, where the main diagnosis was malnutrition and mental illness was a secondary diagnosis, by age in each of the last five years.
	Between 0 per cent. and 0.002 per cent. of all discharges and admissions had a main diagnosis of malnutrition with mental illness as a secondary diagnosis.
	Note:
	Malnutrition = ICD-10: E40-E46; mental illness = ICD-10: F00-F99.
	
		Table 1: Number of discharges where the main diagnosis was malnutrition and mental illness was a secondary diagnosis, by age and year; finished episodes, 199697 to 200001; NHS Hospitals in England
		
			 Age 200001 19992000 199899 199798 199697 All 5 years 
		
		
			 016 0 1 2 0 0 3 
			 1724 0 1 0 1 1 3 
			 2544 4 10 11 5 11 41 
			 4564 16 19 20 6 14 75 
			 6574 7 8 14 7 4 40 
			 7584 2 3 3 4 8 20 
			 85+ 3 2 4 0 0 9 
			  
			 Total 32 42 52 22 37 185 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Number of admissions where the main diagnosis was malnutrition and mental illness was a secondary diagnosis, by age and year; finished episodes, 199697 to 200001; NHS Hospitals in England
		
			 Age 200001 19992000 199899 199798 199697 All 5 years 
		
		
			 016 0 1 2 0 0 3 
			 1724 0 1 0 1 1 3 
			 2544 8 15 11 8 12 54 
			 4564 20 21 19 15 18 93 
			 6574 7 8 18 13 6 52 
			 7584 11 10 7 8 16 52 
			 85+ 9 4 4 4 3 24 
			  
			 Total 55 58 59 48 55 275 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Admissions are defined as the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2. Discharge episodes are defined as the last period of in-patient care and ends with death, discharge or a transferred to other hospital.
	3. The main diagnosis is the first of seven diagnosis fields in the HES data set, and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	4. Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 200001 which is not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

NHS Treatment

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements exist for paying the travel costs of people from outside London who travel to London for specialist NHS treatment not available in their region.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The Hospital Travel Costs Scheme which is part of the NHS Low Income Scheme exists to assist patients with the cost of travel to hospital for NHS treatment under the care of a consultant, irrespective of the distance to be travelled. The scheme is intended to assist patients on low incomes to receive full or partial reimbursement of reasonable expenses for travel to hospital by the cheapest means of travel available to the patient.

Primary Care Workforce Review

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the contributors to the Primary Care Workforce Review have received copies of the final report;
	(2)  when he will publish (a) the report and (b) the conclusions of the Primary Care Workforce report; and if he will place copies in the Library.
	(3)  when his Department received the Primary Care Workforce review; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: holding answer 12 March 2002
	The Primary Care Workforce Review was an internal exercise conducted and written by the Department, which engaged with a large group of external stakeholders. This review covered both the numbers and skills of staff needed in primary care and how the workforce should be planned in future years. Ministers received a draft report on these issues last year.
	The work underpinning the review will form the basis of guidance on workforce planning in primary care to be issued shortly.

Hearing Aids

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the private care and acute NHS trusts which have applied to share in resources for monitoring hearing aid services in 200203 and, in respect of each, the sum of money awarded.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 25 March 2002
	We will announce the national health service trusts that will be taking part in the second wave pilot when a decision has been made. Private hospitals will not be involved in the project. A small pilot project is about to begin to look at the possible role that private sector hearing aid dispensers could have in a modernised NHS hearing aid service.

National Care Standards Commission's Business Plan

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the National Care Standards Commission's business plan; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 26 March 2002
	The National Care Standard Commission is expected to publish its business plan in late April or early May. A copy will be placed in the Library.

Inspection Consistency

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to ensure that there is consistency between Commission for Health Improvement and National Care Standards Commission regulation inspections.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 26 March 2002
	We will be bringing section 9 of the Care Standards Act 2000 into force shortly and making regulations so that the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) and the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) may arrange for CHI to exercise NCSC's function on its behalf in relation to independent hospitals. We will be preparing these regulations and discussing their implementation with the chief executives of CHI and NCSC to enable appropriate arrangements to be brought into force later this year.

Care Workers (Training)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will estimate the total number of staff working in the (a) health sector and (b) social care sector with NVQ level II in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people in the care sector in each of the last five years (a) obtained National Vocational Qualification level II and (b) held National Vocational Qualification level II; and how many staff were working in the sector.
	(3)  what estimates he has made of the cost (a) to local authorities, (b) to health authorities, (c) to individuals and (d) in total of training care workers to NVQ level II.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 26 March 2002
	Although we collect data about the number of staff who work in local council's social services departments every year, information about the number of staff working in social care in the voluntary and private sectors has only been collected through ad-hoc surveys which look at specific service user areas. From this information we estimate that there are over one million people in the social care workforce.
	We do not hold data on the total numbers of staff in either the health or social care sectors that hold their NVQ Level 2. Some data on the numbers of local council social services staff who have either already achieved their Care Level 2 NVQ, or who are working towards attainment of this qualification has been collected through the Training Support Programme (TSP) Grant since 1999. Other data on the numbers of social care staff who hold qualifications has been obtained though various ad-hoc surveys.
	
		Data about the numbers of social care staff with NVQ Level 2 taken from the training support programme grant forms
		
			   19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			 Number Holding NVQ Level 2 at the beginning of the year 5,357 11,627 15,480 
			 Number Achieving NVQ Level 2 during the year 3,004 4,595 (32) 
		
	
	(32) Data is not yet available on the numbers of staff who completed their NVQ Level 2 during 200102.
	The above table shows the data about completion of Care NVQ Level 2 that has been collected through the Training Support Programme grant since April 1999. Although data was collected about the completion of NVQs prior to this date it was not split between the various levels.
	The staff that have attained their NVQ Level 2s will be mainly employees of the local council social services department, but some may be working for voluntary or private social care employers who are contracted by the local council to provide statutory services.
	In the report Who Cares? A Profile of the Independent Sector Home Care Workforce (which was produced in September 2000) it states that there were an estimated 121,500 home care workers and 5,000 home care managers working in the independent home care industry. Of the 1292 home care staff who responded to the survey, 8.2 per cent. held an NVQ Level 2.
	In future, we are anticipating NVQ information to be available centrally on most healthcare staff in the form of the Electronic Staff Record. This system is being developed currently and is intended to be operational for all staff employed by the NHS in hospital and community health services from early 2005.
	The National Care Standards Commission will be collecting data about both the number of staff who work in the services that they regulate, and the qualifications that staff and managers hold. We are presently considering what other systems can be implemented in order to collect data for the whole of the social care workforce.
	The National Training Strategy Modernising the Social Care Workforce considers the cost of improving the qualifications of the social care workforce and in Appendix 5 it provides calculations showing the estimated costs of numbers of staff undertaking qualifications over the five year period 200005. However, these calculations do not give a breakdown of the cost per employer or individual. They consider the cost of staff who work in a particular client group area achieving a specific qualification.
	Funding has been provided to help implement this Training Strategy with 2 million being disseminated through the National Training Organisation for Social Care (TOPSS) for 200102. This amount has been used to promote and embed Induction Training. There will be 15 million in the Training Strategy Implementation Fund for 200203 and it is intended to use these funds to enable various staff to undertake Induction Training; to compete the new Registered Managers NVQ Level 4 and to undertake Assessor, Verifier and Mentor training.

Care Home Standards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps the National Care Standards Commission will take if a care home is failing to comply with National Minimum Standard 18;
	(2)  how he plans to measure the compliance of care homes on National Minimum Standard 18 of the Care Standards Act 2000.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 26 March 2002
	It will be for the National Care Standards Commission to decide in the particular circumstances of each individual home whether the home conforms to the standards necessary to meet the assessed needs of its residents.
	Where a care home fails to comply with one or more standards the Commission will have a number of options as to what action to take. The Commission's decision will depend on the degree to which the home fails to meet the standards and the risk to the welfare of the residents. The Commission could impose requirements on the care home to make improvements in a given time scale and monitor the home to ensure that this is done. Standard 18 of the national minimum standards for care homes for older people concerns abuse. In the case of abuse by an individual member of staff the Commission could insist on his or her removal as a person unfit to work with vulnerable adults. As now, if the welfare of the residents was at serious risk, the Commission will have the power to close the care home.

Health Protection Agency

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional expenditure has been incurred by the Health Protection Agency on (a) counter-terrorism and (b) civil protection since 11 September 2001.

John Hutton: holding answer 26 March 2002
	The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) and the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research (CAMR), which will be incorporated into the Health Protection Agency from April 2003, have incurred 1,176,000 of additional expenditure since 11 September 2001 on counter- terrorism and civil protection work. These sums are in addition to programmes of related work which were in place prior to 11 September. It has not been possible to divide these figures up between counter-terrorism and civil protection as the two areas involve overlapping work. No additional expenditure has been incurred by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) and the National Focus for Chemical Incidents (NFCI).
	The Chief Medical Officer's strategy, Getting Ahead of the Curve, proposes the creation of a Health Protection Agency which will take over functions currently performed by the PHLS, CAMR, NRPB and the NFCI. We aim to establish the new agency by 1 April 2003.

Smallpox

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 November 2001, to the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr. Jackson), Official Report, column 410W, how many smallpox vaccine doses would be required to contain a smallpox outbreak with a two-week time to disease recognition, in an area with a population density of (a) 100 persons per sq km, (b) 1,000 persons per sq km and (c) 10,000 persons per sq km.

John Hutton: holding answer 26 March 2002
	Because of the large number of variables involved in calculating possible smallpox transmission rates it is not possible to provide specific answers to the questions posed. These variables include, among others the nature of the release of the organism and the number of individuals initially infected as well as the effectiveness of public health interventions such as patient isolation and contact tracing.

Part-time Employees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of the staff of his Department are part-time employees.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department currently has 496 staff (9.5 per cent.) working part-time.
	The Department has for some time had a flexible working patterns policy and actively encourages and supports its staff and managers to work flexibly. A range of flexible working patterns including part-time working, job sharing and home working is available to staff by arrangement with their management.

Service Reviews

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many departmental services have been reviewed since agreement in September 1999 on the programme to do so.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Since September 1999, the Department has reviewed 30 of its services, equating to approximately 25 per cent. of its activities. The review process was in accordance with Government policy in the handbook Better Quality Services.
	Since March 2001 specific BQS activity has been incorporated into a fundamental review of all the Department's services and activities. This fundamental review was carried out in the spirit of BQS in line with Government policy. It has generated a programme of change that focuses on the Department's delivery contract and which aims to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Service Reviews

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who undertakes the review of departmental services.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Reviews of departmental services are undertaken by using either in-house expertise or external consultants, where it is felt that they can add value.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of whether the PSA target for 15 million savings from action on contractor fraud will be met on time.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The target was to prevent 9 million worth of pharmaceutical contractor fraud and to recover 6 million worth of the same fraud by the end of 200102. The table shows prevention figures to March 2002 and recovery figures to February 2002. Both elements of the target have been met, and in the case of recovery ahead of the end date set.
	
		Pharmaceutical contractor fraud outputsPrevention(33)
		
			   
		
		
			 December 1998 to March 1999(34) 52,882 
			 April 1999 to March 2000 2,103,119 
			 April 2000 to March 2001 3,189,111 
			 April 2001 to March 2002 3,972,342 
			  
			 Total 9,317,454 
		
	
	
		Pharmaceutical contractor fraud outputsRecoveries
		
			   
		
		
			 December 1998 to March 2000 (35)2,251,815 
			 April 2000 to March 2001 3,097,676 
			 April 2001 to February 2002(36) 2,130,260 
			  
			 Total 7,479,751 
		
	
	(33) Figures relate to prevention of continuing fraud.
	(34) Progress tracked since December 1998 when PSA targets on pharmaceutical contractor fraud for the period to the end of 200102 were published.
	(35) Figure relates to all recoveries December 1998 to March 2000.
	(36) Recovery figures for March 2002 not yet available.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of whether the PSA target for a 50 per cent. reduction in prescription charge evasion by the end of 200203 will be met on time.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	On its formation in late 1998 the NHS Counter Fraud Service (NHS CFS) inherited the public service agreement target to reduce patient prescription charge fraud by 50 per cent. by 200203.
	The progress the NHS CFS has made against the target has already shown a reduction in losses to fraud in this area of 41 per cent. (48 million) by the end of 200001. This is a good indication that the target of a 50 per cent. reduction by the end of 200203 will be met.

Mastectomy

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the criteria used for deciding when to carry out a mastectomy.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Improving Outcomes in Breast Cancer: The Manual (Guidance for Purchasers 1996) states that a range of operations should be available for the treatment of breast cancer. If the cancer is not too large or diffuse, surgical options include mastectomy or breast conserving surgery. In such cases, the choice should be made jointly by the surgeon and the patient, who should be fully informed of all the options and their potential risks, benefits and implications for further treatment. Breast reconstruction should be discussed with patients who are to undergo mastectomy.
	A copy of the guidance is available in the Library.

Intensive Care Baby Incubators

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for an intensive care baby incubator in London NHS hospitals at the latest date for which figures are available.

John Hutton: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department does not collect information on the average waiting times for intensive care baby incubators.
	Intensive care baby incubators are always available for sick babies.

Intensive Care Baby Incubators

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the availability of intensive care baby incubators in London NHS hospitals; and what measures are being taken to increase availability.

John Hutton: holding answer 10 April 2002
	In 1999 the London Health Authority chief executives convened a steering group to oversee a review of neonatal intensive care services in London. A discussion document was published in September 2001 which set out proposals for modernising the provision of neonatal intensive care for London. This also included the revised standards recently published by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM). Copies of the discussion document have been placed in the Library.
	A number of initial consultation meetings have been undertaken to agree on next steps which include establishing managed clinical networks and determining the levels of care to be provided within the networks. This work is currently in progress.

Emergency Services

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulances serve Greater London; and how many paramedics there are (a) in cars and (b) on motorbikes.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The number of resources on duty at any one time varies according to the time and day. The London Ambulance Service has a fleet of 395 front line ambulances, 204 patient transport vehicles, 30 fast response cars, 10 motorbikes and eight special care baby units.

Breast Screening

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of breast screening.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently evaluated the evidence on breast screening. The results of the evaluation were announced on Tuesday 19 March this year and confirmed earlier advice as to the effectiveness of breast screening.
	IARC concluded that trials have provided sufficient evidence for the efficacy of mammography screening of women between 50 and 69 years and that the reduction in mortality from breast cancer among women who chose to participate in screening programmes was estimated to be about 35 per cent.
	The working group which consisted of 24 experts from 11 countries also considered the earlier criticisms of the trials and concluded that many of these were unsubstantiated, and the remaining deficiencies were judged not to invalidate the trials' findings.

Breast Screening

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the extent of mastectomies carried out as a precaution on women who have had a tumour detected by breast screening but were of a kind that may never develop into cancer;
	(2)  what proportion of women who undergo breast screening have had mastectomies carried out as a result of the screening in the last three years.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 10 April 2002
	One in five breast cancers detected through screening will be found when still within the milk duct. This is called Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS). DCIS is difficult to treat as it is not known which women might progress rapidly to invasive cancer and need extensive treatment, and which women could be managed more conservatively. Detecting DCIS does not necessarily lead to mastectomy. Treatment options are always discussed with women and most women will be offered a choice between mastectomy and less drastic treatment.
	Of the 9,525 cancers detected by the breast screening programme in the UK in 19992000, 2,009 were DCIS. 29 per cent. of non-invasive screen-detected breast cancers resulted in mastectomy 1 .
	NHS Cancer Screening Programmes are funding a study to improve quality of care for women with screen detected DCIS. The results of the study will lead to an evidence-based review on the approach taken to the management of women with DCIS. The study is due to report in 2004.
	1 British Association of Surgical Oncologists, May 2001

Property Protection

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new measures his Department took in 200102 to protect its property from theft or damage.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department takes very seriously the theft of and damage to its property. We keep under continuous review the steps we take to protect our property and introduce new security measures where these are cost effective.
	In 200102 we introduced the following new measures:
	The setting-up of a cross-departmental management security forum to strengthen policy and compliance;
	Issue of cable locking devices to secure laptop computers;
	Issued guidance to all staff on the identification and record keeping of unique serial numbers for mobile telephones to help deter theft.
	Other security measures already in place include:
	Periodic checks to confirm the continued existence and condition of assets;
	Individual authorisations to staff to take mobile IT assets from official premises;
	Random searches at building exits by security staff;
	Clear written procedures to staff on procedures to protect assets;
	Checks to detect unsecured portable property;
	Security markings on IT equipment.

Project Sponsorship

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of his Department's projects have received sponsorship since 1997, including (a) details of the sponsor, (b) the nature of the project, (c) the date of the project, (d) the total cost of the project and (e) the amount of money involved in the sponsorship deal.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 11 April 2002
	In line with the Government's commitment in its response to the Sixth Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life, details of individual amounts of sponsorship valued at more than 5,000 will be disclosed in departmental annual reports.

Community Hospitals

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community hospitals there were in settlements with under 3,000 people in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 April 2002
	This information is not collected for individual hospitals.
	The concept of care closer to home as identified by the National Beds Inquiry (NBI) underpins our plans for modernising the health service. To this end maximum use needs to be made of community hospitals in delivering and coordinating the local population's care. Community hospitals are working hard to develop their roles, for example in carrying out day surgery, minor procedures and caring for patients in the recuperative phases of recovery from illness or accident. They will be key players in meeting our target of introducing an additional 5,000 intermediate care bedsthe bridge between hospital and homeby 2004.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients were admitted to wards from accident and emergency departments within (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) more than four hours, after being seen by a doctor or consultant in (i) March 1997 and (ii) the latest month for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Figures for March 1997 were not collected.
	The latest published figures are for the third quarter of 200102. These are in the table.
	
		Admission from Accident and Emergency Departments, England, 200102, quarter 3
		
			  Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Patients admitted through Accident and Emergency 573,266  
			 Patients placed in bed in a ward within two hours of a decision to admit 396,016 69.1 
			 Patients placed in bed in a ward within two to four hours of a decision to admit 111,493 19.4 
			 Patients not placed in bed in a ward within four hours of a decision to admit 65,757 11.5 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form OMNG

International Recruitment

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 486W, on international nurse recruitment; 
	(1)  how he plans to inform (a) NHS trusts, (b) overseas Governments, (c) overseas nurses and (d) nursing organisations of those nursing recruitment agencies which have failed to adhere to the code of practice;
	(2)  how many people have been assigned to assess international nurse recruitment agencies' compliance of the code of practice; how long each assessment takes; and what additional funding has been allocated to the code of practice to ensure that standards are enforced;
	(3)  how many international nurse recruitment agencies (a) are to be assessed by the code of practice, (b) had been assessed by 1 March 2002, (c) had signed up to comply to the code of practice and (d) had failed to adhere to the code of practice; and by when he expects code of practice reviews to be completed.

John Hutton: holding answers 28 February and 4 March 2002
	We are working with international recruitment agencies and their representative bodies and other stakeholders to establish arrangements whereby agencies can register their agreement to comply with the Code of Practice on international recruitment.
	Those commercial agencies who agree to adhere to the Code of Practice will be listed on the Department's website. In addition, overseas Governments will receive information via the Embassies and High Commissions and through the Commonwealth Secretariat.
	This work will be undertaken by departmental officials in conjunction with international recruitment leads working with NHS trusts. No date for completing this work has been set.